Ninjago: Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master
by SandNinja GS
Summary: With the Sword of Sanctuary in their hands, the Ninja prepare to find the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master, only to have Ronin steal it and surrender it to Morro before giving them a message of the supposed location, unaware that it is a trap for them.
1. Fortifications

**(A/N: Well, here is the sequel to Return of the Wind. And those who are eager to find out Blake's Elemental Power, stay online as best as you can)**

* * *

The morning after they got the Sword of Sanctuary, everyone was back at Steep Wisdom. While Blake, Cirrus, Dragon, Misako and Tania study the last clue, the other Ninja, except for Nya, who is still practising on reversing the flow, were placing water based traps around the shop as Zane was placing a sign up at the entrance. "There." He said. "This should keep customers away. 'Closed for Renovations'."

"More like fortifications." Kai replied as he was placing a bucket of water over the open door into the shop before jumping off the chair he was using. "If Morro and his ghouls show up here looking to steal the Sword of Sanctuary, they won't know what hit 'em."

The door soon opened as the bucket soon came down, causing Kai to turn and see it was Cole. Cole quickly jumps back into the shop as the bucket lands in front of him before hiding behind the other door. "Careful!" He yelled. "You know not all of us are immune to water." He soon opened the other door further to jump over the bucket. "And I for one would like to stick around long enough for Misako, Dragon, Blake, Tania and Cirrus to figure out the last clue." He soon jumps over a dug up trench filled with water as Jay and Gewuji were placing bamboo sticks over it.

"We got Cyclondo, we got the sword." Jay replied. "Now they just have to figure out where the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master is."

"Let's hope they figure it out soon." Geoff said as he and Maggie were placing water balloons onto some catapults. "I don't know how long we can hold out."

* * *

Inside the shop, a few parchments of the clues were placed onto some drawers with the Airjitzu and Sword of Sanctuary symbols crossed off as Dragon took off the skull symbol. "We know the skull represents his tomb." He said as he came up to Blake, Cirrus, Misako and Tania.

"But from everything that was ever written about it, there's nothing in Ninjago that matches it's description." Blake replied as he and Misako look at some books.

"Where is it?" Misako asked.

"The clues are all right here, but what are we missing?" Cirrus asked as she had her hood down, revealing cream coloured hair that only lead down to the bottom of her ears, covering them.

Dragon sighed as he came up to them. "We mustn't give up." He replied. "If Morro finds it first and takes the Realm Crystal, I'd hate to think what would happen next."

"Same here." Tania said.

* * *

Outside, someone steps onto a wire as they move on.

* * *

Inside the shop, a bell goes off. "The early detection warning system." Blake said.

* * *

Outside, the Ninja spring into action. "Intruder!" Maggie yelled.

"Let him have it!" Gewuji yelled. "Pull!"

Zane, Cole, Jay, Kai, Geoff, Maggie and Gewuji fire the water balloons from the catapults. They hit the back of the sign, allowing the water to spray all over the intruder, only to find out that it is the same mailman that Zane passed by in the Mountain of a Million Steps and delivered the package for Jay's tuxedo. The mailman sighed as the water rained down on him. "No wonder you're going out of business." He said, holding out the letter he was holding as Geoff took it and leaves, angered.

"No, you're the one going out of business!" Jay yelled as Geoff started reading the letter. "Who sends letters anymore?"

"I'm afraid he's right, Jay." Geoff replied. "It says they're gonna shut us down unless we drum up some business."

"Well, don't tell Ronin." Cole said. "If this place is worthless, he won't want to stick around, and we need all the help we can get." They soon go back to working on the fortifications. "Come on. We're gonna need more water balloons."

* * *

By the stream, Ronin was cleaning R.E.X. while smoking a cigarette before he turns to Nya as she was practising her water flow reversal at the fountain she tried before. She had her hands on her head. "Come on, Nya, become the water." She said as a water drop dripped by slowly. "Reverse the flow." The drop soon lands into the fountain, causing her to sigh before groaning.

"Giving up already?" Ronin asked.

"Course not. Dragon thinks if I get over my fear of failure I'll be able to control the water. Sure, I made it rain when I wasn't even paying attention, but here I can't seem to stop a single damn drop." She tries again, but fails.

Ronin chuckles. "Want to know about failure, should've asked me. Hell. I made a career out of it. Word of advice, don't try so hard." He soon heads up to the stream. "You can't fail if you don't care."

"Don't try? What sort of backwards advice is that?" Ronin fills his bucket with water. "Of course I'm gonna try hard. That's how one excels. And-"

"Speaking of backwards..." He points to the fountain as he heads back to R.E.X. and Nya looks at the fountain to see water drops coming up the fountain.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm doing it! I'm really doing it!"

Ronin chuckles. "Like I said, don't care so much. Usually when someone wants something too badly, they'll trip over their own feet." He goes back to cleaning R.E.X. as he takes a puff from his cigarette.

"Wow!"

As Ronin was scrubbing R.E.X. he suddenly feels something. "Huh?" He dropped his brush into the bucket, which falls over and his cigarette falls out of his mouth.

* * *

In a building, Bansha is doing something as Morro came up to her. "Can he hear you?" He asked.

"Oh, he can hear me." Bansha replied, referring to telepathically speaking to Ronin.

"Tell him it's time to pay off his debt. Tell him to bring me the sword."

* * *

Several minutes later, in the shop, Ronin was looking underneath a shelf as he soon heard voices. "Thanks for gathering on short notice." Misako's voice was heard, causing him to look and quickly got up.

"Looking for something?" Kai asked as he, Jay, Zane, Cole, Geoff, Gewuji and Maggie come in.

"Just making sure the tea blends are in alphabetical order." Ronin replied, lying, as he moved a box of tea further. "Ah, yep, there we go. A to Z. Ha."

"So, you figure out where the tomb is?" Gewuji asked.

"Not yet, but we think we know how to locate it." Cirrus replied as Ronin crept by.

Before he could open the door, it suddenly opened by itself, revealing Dragon and Tania. "Oh, hey!" He said, nervously laughing as he backed away to let them pass.

"Zane?" Misako asked.

Zane has his falcon project an image of the skull as Blake clapped his hands, shutting the lights off. "To bring you up to date, the skull symbol refers to the tomb's entrance." He said as Ronin starts heading for the door again.

"We also know my father's resting site, where the Realm Crystal resides, is protected by three deadly tests designed to keep anyone unworthy away, and only the Sword of Sanctuary can see past its riddles." The falcon soon showed the image of the Sword of Sanctuary and the Scroll of Airjitzu.

"Yeah, but where is it?" Cole asked.

"We started to wonder if the scroll and sword coming held a secret." Misako replied. "That's when Kai reminded us there was a map on the back of the scroll."

"And if you use the sword on the map, the blade's reflection will reveal the tomb's location." Kai said.

"Exactly." Ronin grabs his hat that was hanging nearby as Blake notices him leaving.

"Which means, we'll have to get our hands on that map." Geoff said.

Ronin soon opens the door and heads out.

* * *

Outside, Ronin puts his hat on before coming up to a small storage room.

* * *

He heads inside it to see a box. "Ah!" He quietly said as he came up to it and opened it, only to find it empty.

"Something about what you said stuck with me." Nya's voice was heard as Ronin turned to see her, sitting on a furnace, holding the Sword of Sanctuary in her hands. She soon held the sword out to him.

"Oh, yeah? And...what's that?"

"That you don't care." She soon jumps off the furnace. "If you don't, why are you here? Sure, this tea shop could potentially help pay off your debt in time, or you could speed things up by just giving them the sword in return for your cursed soul."

"So, where does that leave us?"

"I don't need the sword to tell me where this is going."

Ronin soon throws his hat **(A/N: Oddjob style*)** at Nya, who moves aside before he grabs a hoe and uses it to block her strike before swinging the hoe around, which Nya blocks before she is forced back before Ronin held the hoe high before they soon clash their weapons and Nya forces them down on one side. "I need that sword. I don't want to have to hurt you."

"You know, I was thinking the same thing." Nya briefly looks at the sword to see Ronin's next move was to kiss her cheek. She squealed in disgust before kicking his left leg, causing him to groan.

"What did I do to deserve that?"

"You know what you were about to do, you cancer stick inhaler!" Ronin soon moved the hoe around Nya's feet before pulling it back, making her fall into the box as he quickly grabbed the sword.

"Like I said, try too hard and you'll trip over yourself." He uses the hoe's handle to hit the brim of his hat and it lands on his head before throwing the hoe aside and runs out.

"He's getting away with the sword!"

* * *

**(*A/N: Harold Sakata just called, Ronin. He wants his fighting move back)**


	2. Ronin's Escape

Outside, Ronin stops when he sees the Ninja, who were alerted by Nya's yelling, preparing to come up to him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." He said. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"I knew you only cared for yourself, you cancer stick inhaling bastard!" Geoff replied. "I should've been the one to leave you on the Dark Island."

"Geoff, it was business."

"Business, my-" Kai soon trips a wire, causing water balloons to hit Jay and Geoff before Jay falls into the trench as Cole accidentally pushes Zane and Gewuji aside while avoiding the water splash. "Kai, this is seriously a very bad habit, tripping wires!"

Cole's push sends Zane and Gewuji onto a catapult, which fires and they fly into the air, screaming, landing another one before it too fires. "Stop this ride!" Gewuji yelled.

Kai managed to get out of the trench as more water balloons hit him as well as Geoff and Jay as Cole moves back to avoid them. "Why did we make a lot of water based traps?!"

Maggie runs at Ronin, but he sees in the sword's reflection that she was about to use her Magnetism power to grab the sword before jumping over her and kicks the bamboo sticks underneath her, causing her to fall into the trench. "I just had my hair washed!" She yelled as she surfaced.

As Ronin sees them distracted, triggering their own traps, he laughs. "Way too easy!" He said as he turns around to see Nya emerge, holding the hoe and charges at him, but he moves aside and he jumps over her and Maggie as she was about to get out.

Geoff charges at him, only to have his sister land on him. "Ouch!" He yelled as Zane landed on Jay before Ronin heads into the shop. "Get off of me, quick!"

* * *

But as soon as he went inside, he sees Misako, holding a katana, Dragon and Cirrus, both holding staffs as well as Tania, who holds an axe. "We're not going to let you get away!" Misako yelled, holding up her sword.

"Yeah, drop the sword, you cancer stick inhaler!" Tania yelled, raising her axe.

Ronin holds up the sword to see that Dragon would strike first. True to the sword, Dragon does, but Ronin quickly blocks his staff before moving it as he was about to strike again and kicks him into Misako, knocking them both down before looking at the sword again to see Cirrus coming at him. "Take this!" She yelled.

He quickly uses the sword to block her staff before striking it, breaking the staff in half as Tania charges at him from behind, but he flips to the side, causing her to crash into Cirrus. "Nice try." He said as he was about to take off, but Misako swings her sword at him, but he jumps in the air, causing her to hit a tea plant as Ronin lands on the counter. "Whoa!"

"You cancer stick inhaling bastard!" Tania yelled as she, Dragon and Cirrus get up as they and Misako face Ronin. Cirrus swings her broken staff pieces at Ronin, who spins a little as Tania comes at him with the axe, but he flips backwards as Misako swings her sword at him, but Ronin spun again to avoid it and blocks Dragon's staff as Cirrus prepared to strike again, but Ronin struck again, knocking the piece out of her right hand and swung at Misako, who kneels down to avoid it before the strike is blocked by Tania before he swung the sword, making them all back away before he strikes some hanging tea plants, emitting some smoke. "Now, that is such a very nasty stench!"

"Oh, now that's a nice blend." He sarcastically spoke while they cough as the smoke came at them and Cole and Zane came in, only to cough at the smell of the tea smoke. "We should fight more often." Ronin soon heads to the back as he whistles his R.E.X. summoning tune and closes the door.

"Get back here, you!" Cirrus yelled.

* * *

Outside, Kai sees R.E.X. take off as he soon does Airjitzu to catch up with it, but barely gets to it before falling onto the roof and lands on one of the lamp hooks. "He's getting away!" He yelled. "To the Bounty!" They soon take off, but accidentally leave Kai, who is soon freed by Geoff and Gewuji before they prepare to head for the Bounty.

"Are we sure that's the wisest choice?" Dragon asked as he, Cirrus, Misako and Tania came out of the shop. Dragon soon conjures his Power Dragon as Geoff, Gewuji and Maggie see it.

"Now, why didn't I think of that?" Geoff asked as he, Gewuji and Maggie soon conjure their own Power Dragons.

"Care for a ride?" Dragon holds his hand out to Misako.

"I thought you'd never ask." She said as she took it while Tania gets on Geoff's Power Dragon while Cirrus came on Gewuji's.

"Anyone seen Blake?"

"Not since the briefing." Maggie said.

"Well, he'll have to stay behind with Nya then." The Power Dragons soon take off. "Onward!"

* * *

In the air, Geoff, Gewuji, Maggie and Dragon's Power Dragons fly over the clouds with the Destiny's Bounty behind them as Cole and Kai watch from the ladder to the watch post. They see R.E.X. way ahead of them. "There he is!" Gewuji yelled, pointing to it.

"He's fast."

"We're faster, Master." Geoff said.

"Let's get him!"

"Hiyah!" The Power Dragons soon fly faster as they try their best to catch up with R.E.X., but it was still too far away.

"We're not moving fast enough." Dragon soon turned to Geoff. "Geoff, you used to work alongside Ronin before, have you ever summoned his airship before?"

"Seriously, why didn't I ever think about that at all?" He soon whistles the tune, causing R.E.X. to slow down and they catch up to it, only to find the pilot's seat empty.

"He's not aboard the ship." Gewuji said.

"It's a trick!" Maggie yelled. "He used it as a decoy!"

"Damn it!" Geoff and Tania yelled.

The Bounty soon came up next to them. "Then where did Ronin go?" Kai asked.

"If I know Ronin, he'd probably have real means of escaping." Geoff replied as they prepare to head back.

* * *

At a nearby stream, Nya looks at her reflection in the water before walking away, but hears whistling, causing her to gasp. She turns back around to see Ronin, in a small boat, with the Sword of Sanctuary and runs after it. "Stop!" She yelled.

"Yeah, right!" Ronin replied.

"Why are you doing this?"

"You know why!" Nya soon trips before getting up to look at Ronin before getting back up to resume running after him. "Giving Morro the sword is the only thing that'll save me."

"He'll never hold up his end of the bargain. You can't trust him."

"I have to. It's my only shot."

Nya stops when she realises Ronin was now too far away from her as she tries to catch her breath before looking at the stream and holds his arms out. "Become the water. Become the water. Become the water."

The stream suddenly stops as Ronin soon saw a nearby log flowing backwards as the stream did as well. "What the hell?" The boat starts moving back.

"Reverse the flow, Nya."

The boat found itself going backwards as Ronin saw Nya doing it. "You gotta be fucking kiddin' me." Ronin tries to paddle the boat forward as the stream was still moving backwards before he lowers the bottom part of the mast to try and get stability before some wind was able to give him that and he moves forward as the stream resumes going forward and Nya groans. "Face it, Nya, you're not strong enough. You care too much." Nya soon knelt down, in exhaustion. "I'm sorry, Nya." Nya growls as she looked at him. "I wish it never had to come to this."

"You cancer stick inhaling bastard!" Nya started hitting the bank of the stream, in anger.

"Why does everybody keep calling me that?" Ronin gets out a cigarette, and tries to light it. "Stupid lighter. Light!" The lighter soon ignites as he soon lit the cigarette and takes a puff as something underneath his seat looked at him though the cracks. **(A/N: Guess who the stowaway is)**


	3. Double Cross

A few hours later, Ronin was back in Stiix as he walked along the streets, before turning into an alleyway. As he walked along it, he looks behind his back a bit. "Ninjago!" Someone yelled out as he looked ahead to see someone, doing Spinjitzu, which was silver pink, knocking him down before the attacker dispersed, revealing to be Blake.

"Blake?" Ronin asked. "You know Spinjitzu now?"

"Learnt it just last night." He soon grabs hold of Ronin, grabs the Sword of Sanctuary from behind his back and holds at his neck. "Now, I'm taking this sword back and I'm gonna find that map so that the Ninja can find the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master." He looks at the blade to see Ronin's next attack. He would pull out his lighter and ignite it on Blake's gi, causing him to light up.

As Ronin was about to ignite his lighter, Blake quickly grabbed it and throws it away. "Hey, that's a good lighter!"

"Quit smoking then, you cancer stick inhaler."

"Why does everybody keep calling me that? Look, if I give Morro the sword, my debt with the Soul Archer will be collected and he might even release Lloyd."

Blake soon moves back and places Ronin down before holding the tip of the sword at his neck. "You better be telling the truth."

"I swear it."

"I'll be close by." He throws the sword in the air before catching it by the blade and holds the handle out to Ronin, who takes it.

A few minutes later, Ronin heads up to the remains of his shop as Blake was around the corner before he heads in and Blake comes up to the window to look through it.

* * *

Inside, Ronin closes the door as Ghoultar passes by. "Good evening!" Morro said to Ronin. He saw that Morro was sitting on a throne, between Bansha and Soul Archer. "You're late!"

"And goodnight!" Ghoultar said, coming up behind Ronin, as he turned to him.

"I like what you've done with the place." Ronin said as he looked around. "Pretty gutsy making your hideout right here in Stiix. With this much water, they'd never come looking for you here."

"I've never been afraid of anything." Morro replied.

Ghoultar looks out the window as Blake had quickly moved his head away before he takes the Sword of Sanctuary from behind Ronin's back and looks at it. "The sword is no fake." He said as he came up to Morro and Blake sticks his head at the window again.

Morro scoffed as he took it. "For once the crook makes good." He soon gets off the throne and comes up to a nearby table where the scroll of Airjitzu laid, with a map facing the front. He soon stabs the sword into it and looks at the reflection to see a red 'X' appear on it. "The Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master."

"Now, what about my soul?" Ronin asked. "The deal was you'd remove the curse and free me."

"You can have your soul, but the deal has changed. I want the Ninja too."

"Whoa, now, hold on. A deal's a deal. But what do you care about the Ninja? I thought you said you weren't afraid of them."

"I'm not. But our Preeminent requires some...safeguards." The ghosts laugh at Ronin.

"Forget it. I'll keep my cursed soul. The sword's one thing, but my friends are another."

"Since when do you have friends?" Bansha asked as they laugh again. "I heard you abandoned the Yellow Ninja on the Dark Island to die."

"It was business. And I regret it every single day." He soon starts to walk away, before Ghoultar stops him.

"Where do you think you're going? We still have a need for you." Ghoultar restrains him as Morro looks back at the sword. "The Realm Crystal will be mine!" A small clatter was heard, causing him to turn to the window, only to find nothing. "Stupid rats."

* * *

Outside, Blake moves away from the window the moment Morro turned to it and sighed as he shook his head. "Note to self: Never trust a mercenary." He said as he soon looked again and is shocked at something.

* * *

At Steep Wisdom, it was dusk as the Ninja, Cirrus, Dragon, Misako and Tania were in the shop. "Well, obviously, he's taken the sword to Morro." Jay said.

"And Blake must've gone after him." Gewuji said.

"But where's Morro?" Zane asked.

"Yeah, he could be anywhere."

"Nya, this is all your fault!" Cole yelled. "If you're always one of us-"

"I'm sorry!" Nya yelled, cutting him off. "I should have told you when I first suspected Ronin would steal it."

"Hey, don't yell at my sister!" Kai yelled. "True, she suspected Ronin would steal the sword, but Blake also suspected."

"He should have told us." Maggie replied.

"ENOUGH!" Geoff yelled, causing them all to become shocked at his sudden outburst. "We all knew the path to save Lloyd was never going to be a straight line. We were all fooled by Ronin, but that doesn't make us fools. At a time like this, we mustn't butt heads, but put our heads together. Cole, apologise to Nya, now!"

Jay sniggers before Cole could have a chance to talk. "I'm sorry." He said. "You said 'butt heads'."

"Don't interrupt."

Cole soon sighed. "Nya, I'm sorry." He said.

Before Nya could forgive him, Zane's falcon chirps as it soon showed an image of Ronin. "I can't talk loud, but I wanted to let you know, Nya, you were right." He whispered. "Morro didn't hold up his end of the bargain. And Misako was right too. The scroll and sword did reveal the tomb. I know where it's located. I know you don't have the sword, but I know you can beat them to the tomb." He soon gasped. "They're coming."

"Where is it?" Gewuji asked. "Where's the tomb?"

"The Caves of Despair! The tomb is in..." The message starts to cut off. "Caves...Despair!" The transmission soon cuts off.

"Caves of Despair?" Dragon asked. "We've been there. I don't remember seeing any tomb."

"But there are still miles of unexplored mines." Misako replied. "It could be there."

"Why should we believe him?" Maggie asked. "It could be a trap."

"We don't have the scroll and we don't have the sword." Kai replied. "With Lloyd's life at stake, what other choice do we have?" They soon nod at each other.

"We're in." Cole said.

"Fool me once, shame on you." Nya replied. "Fool me twice, shame on me. What good will it do us if it's all just a set up?"

"The Ninja are right." Dragon said. "Even a misstep could be a step in the right direction. We cannot afford to do nothing. The Ninja will go. As for Nya, well, you're still not ready." Nya groans. As they head for the Bounty, Dragon comes up to Geoff. "Hey, about what you did back there. I mean it, this time, I-"

"I said it before and I'll say it again." Geoff replied. "I'm not ready for the title of Master just yet."

* * *

Back in Stiix, Ronin looked dazed as Ghoultar filmed him. "It's a wrap." He said. Ronin soon collapses as they all laugh at him before Morro's ghost suddenly emerged from him.

"Pretty good impression." Ronin said with a dry throat. "But they'll never buy it was me."

"We shall see." Morro replied.

"You're no Green Ninja." Lloyd was suddenly heard as Morro looked up to see him in a cage, hanging from the roof. "The Green Ninja would never need to lie!"

"Oh, you won't be the Green Ninja for long. Save your strength, 'cause I'll be needing it."

* * *

As he talked, Blake moves along the roof and Lloyd sees him, but he puts a finger to his lips. "Prepare for a voyage. We head to the tomb at dawn."

"What about Ronin?" Soul Archer asked.

"Leave him. He's worthless now."

* * *

Blake soon jumps in screaming as he grabs hold of Morro's hands and he suddenly enters his body. "What are you doing?" Blake said it with Morro's voice.

"You won't be needing Lloyd anymore." Blake said in his normal voice.

"Let me out of your body at once!"

"No! I will hold you in it by force!" He soon got down on his knees, had one hand on his chest and one on the ground.

Blake's body soon turns green, like Lloyd when Morro possessed him and his gi changes into the same outfit as his hair remains the same and he stands up, smiling. "Then, you might be useful to me after all." He soon stood up and looked at the three ghosts, who stare at him. "What are you looking at?" He then points to Lloyd. "Get him down."

* * *

At the Caves of Despair, Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole, Geoff, Gewuji and Maggie move along as much of the skeleton army's excavation equipment was still there. "The Caves of Despair." Kai said.

"This is where we first came for the Golden Weapons." Cole replied. "Back when Lloyd was working with the skeletons. It's like everything has come full circle."

"Don't say that." Jay said. "Full circle means it's coming to an end, and I don't wanna hear that before I go into the Caves of Despair! One of my least favourite words!"

"How do we even know the tomb's in there?" Geoff asked. Zane soon looks around. "Searching for clues." P.I.X.A.L. said from inside Zane's head before seeing a symbol that resembles the tomb's symbol.

* * *

A few minutes later, they find themselves at the spot where the symbol is. "The third symbol." Kai said.

"Good enough for me." Jay replied. "Let's go." They soon head into the cave.

* * *

Unaware to them all, Ghoultar was carving the symbol on a guard post and laughs evilly.


	4. A Surprising Find

In the tunnel, the Ninja move along as they pass by a knocked over cart. "There's another symbol." Gewuji said, pointing to it.

"Huh, looks like it only gets darker the deeper in we go." Cole replied.

"Then it's a good thing we have a little light." Kai said, noticing 7 lanterns.

"Wait!" Maggie yelled. "What if this is one of the tests?"

Jay gasps. "Yeah, Dragon said the tomb was going to be protected by three deadly tests." He said. "Maybe if we pick the wrong lantern-" Kai goes for the lanterns that were hanging and prepares to grab the middle one. The others back away a bit before Kai takes it.

He soon scoffed. "Nope, just a lantern." He replied before moving on.

The others, except for Jay, each take a lantern before following Kai into the tunnel as Jay came up to the last one before he quickly takes it. "Like I thought. Just a lantern." He soon goes to catch up with the others. "Wait!"

They come up to a tunnel on the right. "Looks like there was a cave in." Geoff said.

Jay soon sniffs. "Eugh! What's that smell?"

"Wasn't me." Gewuji said.

"My senses pick up traces of kethanol, a highly flammable gas released from deep well mining." Zane said.

Cole laughs a bit. "Sure." He replied sarcastically. "Bet that's what all Nindroids say."

Zane then felt offended by the sarcasm. "If you're implying that smell came from me, or even Gewuji-"

"Look, some of these rocks appear to have been recently moved." Kai cuts him off as he looked on. "Maybe Morro's already been through here." They soon head inside.

* * *

On the Bounty, Tania looks at the Caves of Despair from the deck as Dragon came up to her. "Is something troubling you, Tania?" He asked.

"Nothing, Master Wu." She replied.

"Now, I've known you long before you were tricked by Chen during the First Serpentine War, there is something you're not telling me. Besides, my father once taught me this: It is better to tell the truth than to keep it and then regret it for the rest of your life."

Tania soon sighed. "It's my fault that Morro ended up in the Cursed Realm in the first place."

"What?"

"Remember what I told you about not finding Morro before the Serpentine War?" He nods. "I lied. I did find him. In that very cave, at the start of the war."

* * *

Over 40 Years Earlier

In the tunnels of the Caves of Despair, Morro, looking ragged and having longer hair, looks around the cave before growling. _"He was so obsessed by the time I found him."_ Tania's present voice was heard.

"It was never here!" He yelled.

"Morro!" Tania's voice was heard as he turned to see her at the entrance.

"Tania?"

"You'll never find it in here. It will never be found."

"Did you come here to tell me that?"

"No, Master Wu sent me to find you. The Serpentine are declaring war on us and he needs every Elemental Master alive to help the people." This gets Morro to think a little. "After the war, you can continue your search."

"Don't you get it? If I do find the tomb, then I can find out if I'm the Green Ninja and save Ninjago from the Serpentine."

_"That was when I had no choice."_ Tania's present voice was heard.

"Then, I'm sorry, Morro." Tania said, holding her hands out.

"What are you doing?" Morro asked.

"This cave will be your tomb."

"No!" Morro holds his hands out to her, emitting wind, which knocks her back as she fires both sand and glass at the cave entrance, causing a cave in. "Tania!" Tania gets up to smell the kethanol gas seeping out. "Tania, help!"

"You don't deserve a life!" Tania soon takes off, coughing a little.

"Tania, get me out of here! Tania, you bitch! YOU BITCH!" Coughing was soon heard from behind the rocks. "Help! I can't breathe! This cave is filled with kethanol gas! Tania!"

* * *

Present

"I never forgave myself after that." Tania said as she lowered her head. "Even before being sent to the Cursed Realm, I could still hear his cries of despair, calling me a 'bitch' and swearing revenge on my descendants. I think they're walking into a trap."

"We have to find a way to reach them." Dragon replied before they soon head for the bridge.

* * *

In the cave, the Ninja move along it before putting their hoods on as they see a geyser and some grey stuff as Maggie picks up a pile and lets it move off her hand. "Ash." She said. "Everything here has been burned."

"Perhaps one of the traps?" Kai asked.

"The kethanol geyser." Zane replied. "We cannot stay long. It may ignite again at any moment."

"Look." Cole said, seeing a skeleton. "Whoa!" The skeleton had ragged clothes which degraded during the skeleton's entrapment as well as black hair. "Whoa!"

"Ew!" Jay was disgusted. "You think it's him?"

"The First Spinjitzu Master." Gewuji said.

"But where's the Realm Crystal?" Kai asked.

"I don't think that's the First Spinjitzu Master." Geoff replied, coming up to the skeleton and moves a piece of cloth back, showing a symbol. "It's the Master of Wind."

"Then these are the remains of Morro's mortal body." Zane said.

"He must've died here." He soon sees a bit of paper that looked very old and brown close by the skeleton and picks it up. "I think this might explain what happened to him." He opens it and looked at it. "It's too old and dirty to read. Zane, have P.I.X.A.L. scan this and say it aloud."

Zane shines his lights over the paper. "Scan complete." P.I.X.A.L. said from inside Zane's head. "Uploading contents of paper."

"'My name is Morro Ventus, Master of Wind." Zane said as he recited the translated letter. "I am close to dying by inhaling kethanol, so these are my final words. When I was just a-"

* * *

Over 40 Years Earlier

_"-a kid, among many others who lost their families to the Sporae Flu, I was among many kids to scavenge some bins at the Monastery of Spinjitzu, which other kids were too scared to do due to the high altitude."_ Morro's thoughts were heard as he writes the note before briefly stopping to cough. _"Tania, a fellow orphan, and I were soon brought into the monastery by Master Dragon Wu, a son of the First Spinjitzu Master, who took us in, like a father. When he discovered we had Elemental Powers, he thought one of us would be the Green Ninja. When the Golden Weapons didn't react to one of us, I chose to find his father's tomb to prove that I am worthy of being the Green Ninja."_ He starts coughing again. _"I tired my best, took me years, but in the end, I found myself here, in the Caves of Despair, where I thought I finally found it. That bitch, Tania, left me here to die and so now I will haunt her and her children and her children's children forever. If Master Wu finds this, or you know him, I want him to know that, I'm sorry I wasn't a good student. His aggressive teachings weren't aggressive, they were to strengthen me, which I am doing, by writing this letter throughout my dying breath. You have to know that-"_

* * *

Present.

"-you can only save those who want to be saved.'" Zane finished reading the words in his head.

"I think he realized he would never find it." Geoff said as he looked at the letter.

"But, in the end, he still wanted to find it." Kai said.

"Dragon told us he never came back from looking for the tomb, so if he's here, that means-" Jay is soon cut off.

"It is trap!" Ghoultar yelled as he was near the entrance, making Geoff drop the letter. They immediately turn to him. "Now, bitch's children and friends suffer same fate!" He slams his scythe into the ground, causing boulders to come down as they try to run for the entrance, throwing their lanterns aside as they do so, but it was too late as a boulder lands in front of the entrance, causing them to cough.

"There's no way out. If this was a test, I think we certainly failed it."

Jay and Gewuji start coughing. "And all this gas is making us a little light headed." Gewuji said.

"This cavern's a virtual oven." Geoff replied. "If those geysers decide to ignite, we'll be cooked."

Zane soon shined his lights to look around their surroundings. "P.I.X.A.L. has located an opening." He said. "The cave-in must have created a gap."

"But a gap to where?" Jay asked. "For all we know it could be a dead end. And for the record, that's another one of my least favourite words. Dead end."

"We'll end up dead if you don't pull yourself together, Jay!" Maggie yelled as Cole sees the geyser bubbling.

"It's too late!" He yelled before running over to a nearby giant rock.

"Cole!" Zane yelled as Cole puts the rock over the geyser. "No!"

"Ha! Solved that problem."

"Correction, you made it worse. Now the pressure will compact the explosion, multiplying the damage tenfold."

"Oh, what are you trying to say?" Gewuji asked.

"When that rock goes, every cave in a 10 mile radius will be filled with a wall of fire so hot it will incinerate everything in its path."

"Guess we better get hot on our heels." Kai said.

They soon do Airjitzu. "Cyclondo!" Jay yelled as they head for the gap.

* * *

They climb out through the gap and start running down a path.

* * *

Back in the geyser cave, the rock is soon shot out as lava starts emerging from the geyser, which burns the old letter and melts Morro's skeleton before it starts rising up for the gap.

* * *

In the pathway, Geoff looks back to see the lava flames coming at them. "Hurry!" Zane yelled as they soon came to a stop at a hole.

"Go!" Geoff yelled as he caught up. "Go! Go!" They soon jump down the hole as the fire passed by it.

* * *

They land on a mine cart, causing them all to groan before the cart starts to move on its own. "Great!" Jay yelled. "Now what? How do we stop this thing?"

The cart soon goes down the rails as they all scream from the shaking and the speed as Zane looks ahead. "Obstacle." P.I.X.A.L. said in Zane's head.

The obstacle was a broken rail track which they fly off of, causing them to yell as they are flown in the air before the cart lands on the other side and they land in it, except for Jay, who hangs onto the side. He looks on concerned as he moved his legs about before Geoff grabs him. "Almost got you." He said before pulling him up, but a bump causes Jay to fall back, but Zane catches him.

"Hold on, Jay!" He yelled before they soon bring him back onto the cart.

Up ahead, they come across two tunnels with a rail switch up ahead as Zane has P.I.X.A.L. analyse them. "Take the left tunnel." She said from inside his head.

"It is the left tunnel. The left tunnel!" Cole gets out his Aeroblade and strikes the rail switch, unaware that the track was leading left, but had turned it to right and they go through the right tunnel. "No, Cole! P.I.X.A.L. said left! The left tunnel!"

* * *

Up ahead, Ghoultar emerges onto the tracks, humming at his supposed triumph over the Ninja before he gasps when he sees them, coming on the cart and growled at them. Jay soon got out his Aeroblade and throws it at Ghoultar, hitting him and causing him to disappear as the Aeroblade returns to Jay while they pass through Ghoultar's scythe before it disappears. "Looks like we're coming to a dead end." Cole said, noticing a closed gate.

"Oh, there's that word again." Jay replied. "Never say that word!" They soon crash through the gate as they keep going down. "What do I do? What do I do?"

"The brake, quick!" Zane yelled as Geoff soon applied the break, but the handle soon breaks off.

"Big mistake, Zane!" He yelled.

"Figures." Gewuji replied.

"We'll have to use the Aeroblades as brakes then." Zane said as he, Kai, Geoff and Cole got out their Aeroblades and jam them behind the back wheels.

"It almost feels like we're...going faster!" Jay yelled, pulling the tape that snagged onto him, over his eyes as they look on and yelled as the tape came off of Jay's face before they see another broken track and go off it.

* * *

They fall down what appears to be the inside of a volcano, down to the lava as something soon showed up and a ladder comes out. "R.E.X.!" Geoff yelled as they soon grab hold of the ladder and look up.

Cole laughs in happiness. "I could kiss Ronin!" He said. "After I clobber him for getting us into this mess."

"Not before I break his nose again!" Gewuji replied before they start climbing up.

* * *

Once they were inside, they find the pilot's seat empty. "Oh, autopilot!" Jay said. "Of course he's too scared to show his face."

The screen soon came on. "Hey, Ninja, if you're getting this message, I'm sure you'll have some choice words for me." Ronin's image was on the screen.

Cole laughs a bit. "You got that right." He replied.

"But I wanted to tell you, that wasn't me who sent you to this trap. I was under the control of Morro. Now, I know you think I'm a crook by taking the sword, and I want to make things right by offering my airship R.E.X. as a peace offering. I know it's not what you had in mind, but I've remotely entered the location of the tomb. The real one this time." The screen soon showed a beacon on a map.

"Look at that!" Kai said. "The reason Misako never found the tomb in Ninjago was because it was never there in the first place! It's under the ocean!"

The screen soon turned back to Ronin, but reception started to go bad. "Morro has a head start, but R.E.X. should get you there in a jiff. And if it's any consolation, this'll be the last you see of me. Geoff, I'm sorry for leaving you on the Dark Island, half of me wanted to return for you when I got the money. And if Nya wants to know a reason, tell her it's-" The screen starts turning to static. "-it's because I care. Ok. Good luck. And go make things right." The screen soon showed nothing, but static.

"Looks like we're headed to the tomb."

"Time to buckle up." Geoff said as he and Gewuji get in the pilot seats as Geoff had his hands on the control. "Ok, R.E.X., just like the good old days." R.E.X. soon flies up to the top as the fire grows intense.

* * *

R.E.X. manages to make it outside as the canyon starts emitting explosions and takes off for the tomb. "Now, bring me that horizon."


	5. Underwater Search and the First Trial

Underwater, just outside of Ninjago, a fish moves along before a shark suddenly appeared behind it and swallows it whole before turning away when R.E.X.'s lights shine at it as it moved along the ocean.

* * *

Inside R.E.X., the Ninja were all looking at the screen as Geoff was at the controls and Kai was shaking a bit. "We're almost to the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master." Zane said.

"Yeah, can't believe we're almost there after all we've been though." Cole replied.

"I can't believe I'm underwater." Kai said.

"You?" Maggie asked. "What about Cole?"

"Just how thick is this glass?" Cole asked as he knocked on the front visor.

"Careful, you might jinx it." Geoff replied.

"We're heading to your location now." Tania said on the screen as Misako, Cirrus and Dragon are behind her as well as Nya. "With Morro already ahead of you and able to foresee the traps protecting the tomb with the Sword of Sanctuary, it's going to be up to you seven to find the Realm Crystal before he does."

Jay nervously laughs. "Cole's a ghost, Kai can't swim, we have no magical sword and half of us have no Elemental Powers." He said before laughing again. "What could go wrong?"

* * *

R.E.X. passes by something big before something on it opens, revealing an eye as it soon looked down to R.E.X.

* * *

"I may not know the three tests you're about to face, but Misako and I discovered a riddle that makes reference to it that may help." Cirrus said on the screen before opening a scroll. "'A Spinjitzu Master can. A Spinjitzu Master cannot. To move forward, don't look ahead to find his resting spot.'"

"That's food for thought." Cole replied.

Jay soon gulped as he saw the thing they passed by is a giant squid. "Speaking of food, we're about to be some!" He yelled as the squid pursues R.E.X.

"We have to go faster." Kai said. "Much faster!" Geoff moves the controls forward as the squid moves a tentacle, slamming it at one of the windows, causing it to crack. "Why did the tomb have to be underwater?"

"I guess I really did jinx it!" Cole said as he saw the cracked window.

"Hold on!" Geoff yelled as he moved the controls to the side.

* * *

R.E.X. turns left as the squid was still chasing after it.

* * *

"Argh, what kind of weapons is this thing equipped with?" Gewuji asked. "Apart from cancer sticks."

"Isn't there a bigger fish?" Jay asked. "There's always a bigger fish."

"We don't need weapons." Zane replied. "Aim for that rock!"

"On it." Geoff said as he turned the controls.

* * *

R.E.X. comes up to a rock with a hole before going through it as the squid sticks its tentacles through the hole, but ends up stuck as R.E.X. moves away from it.

* * *

"Yes, its testicles are stuck in that rock!" Gewuji said as they soon cheer.

"Gewuji, they weren't a man's b-" Zane was soon cut off.

"Don't mention it to my sister!" Geoff yelled. "She knew they were tentacles, she was making a joke." **(A/N: That little thing about octopus' tentacles being mispronounced was on a show I once watched as a teen. I think it was Beauty and the Geek Goes Tropical, the Australian version)** He soon taps the console. "Attaboy, R.E.X. Guess Ronin has been taking really good care of you."

Jay still looked at the trapped squid a little. "Heh, it may not be a bigger fish, but at least we plugged the hole." He said to himself before chuckling a little.

* * *

In a room, Morro forces Lloyd ahead as he turned to him with his hands tied at the front with a Vengestone chain. "Morro, you don't have to do this." He said.

"Save it." Morro replied. "Your friend already made a foolish choice by forcing me to possess his body. Besides, with your other friends gone, it's just you and this wannabe." He soon looks at the Sword of Sanctuary to see reflections of many traps coming out and sighs.

* * *

Underwater, R.E.X. prepares to surface as it soon enters a cave before the windows open and the Ninja come out. "You wanna hide a tomb, this looks like a good place." Cole said as they look on. "We're here."

Jay groaned as he sees a bit of green cloth snagged on a branch. "There goes any hope Morro couldn't find this place." He said as he took the cloth and looked at it.

"Hey, stay positive." Kai replied as they look on to see footprints. "We're about to risk our lives going through traps we know nothing about, and all we have to rely on is each other. At least feel lucky we go this far."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Jay mocked. "You're right! What was I thinking? Hey! There goes any hope Morro couldn't find the tomb! We're not alone! Yay! Now we're gonna have to fight him again! Sure, we got our tails handed to us last time, but you never know in the future, 'cause Ninja never quit! Better?"

"Uh, I'll take it."

"Look." Gewuji said, pointing to a statue.

"The First Spinjitzu Master...creator of Ninjago." Geoff said.

"Whoa!" Kai said.

"Destination reached." R.E.X.'s computer said as the windows soon close up. "Auto return initiated."

"Auto return?" Jay asked as R.E.X. starts to go down. "No! No!" They run up to the bank of the water, but they stop as R.E.X. was completely gone.

"R.E.X.!" Geoff yelled. "Get back here!" He whistles its summoning tune, but it doesn't surface. He tries again, but it still doesn't work. "Damn you, Ronin, you stupid cancer stick inhaler!"

"Our Aeroblade weapons were in there." Zane said.

"Not to mention our only way back." Maggie replied.

"Hey, stay positive!" Jay said. "Who needs a way back when we gotta go that way?" He points to the path behind them.

"No sword, no powers, no problem." Kai replied. "We can do this, guys. As long as we got each other, right?"

"Brother sharpens brother." Cole said.

"And sister sharpens brother." Gewuji said.

"And also brother sharpens sister." Geoff replied. They soon prepare to head down the path as Kai sighed.

"Wait, there's two sets of prints." Maggie said as she knelt down.

"Lloyd's a size 10 and there is also an 11 and a half." Zane replied.

"Maybe Morro is holding Blake hostage." Jay said.

"Then we better hurry and rescue him along the way." Kai replied as they continue to walk down the path as it was lit by something on the walls which glows.

* * *

They come into a room with many doors and look around to see different symbols on them as well as a statue of someone poising, while holding a crystal and the door closes, causing them to turn around. "This could be the first test." Cole said as they look around.

"Oh, why did it have to be tests?" Jay asked. "Why can't the tomb just be protected by dragons? We're good with dragons."

"Don't remind me about dragons. I really miss Rocky."

"I think we're supposed to pick a door, but which one?" Geoff asked.

"What was it Cirrus said?" Maggie asked.

"'A Spinjitzu Master can." Zane started to recite. "A Spinjitzu Master cannot. To move forward, don't look ahead to find his resting spot.'" They soon start to look around the place while Jay started counting all the doors around them.

"A Spinjitzu Master can." Kai said, thinking about the first riddle. "Can what?"

"18 doors." Jay said as he finished counting the doors. "For 18 realms?"

"Well, could be." Gewuji replied. "But let me guess, pick the wrong door and we'll be in a realm of hurt."

"Or a realm of hell." Geoff said.

Jay soon groaned. "I wish we had the sword right about now." He said.

"We can figure this out." Kai replied. "A Spinjitzu Master can. Can." Gewuji soon sees a tornado symbol on a door.

"The symbol above this door, it's a tornado." She said. "This could be the one, right?"

"Hm. You could be right." Gewuji soon went over to the door and prepared to open it.

"Gewuji, wait!" Zane yelled, making her stop as Zane looked around for P.I.X.A.L. to analyse the statues.

"Picture recognition analysing." She said from inside Zane's head. "Pattern discovered."

"Step away from that door, Gewuji." Zane drags her away from the door.

"Uh, what is it?"

"We're inside a zoetrope."

"A zoe-what?" Maggie asked.

"A zoetrope." Geoff replied. "Zane must've realised that the engravings in rapid succession creates a moving image."

"I don't get it." Cole said.

"Think about it. 'A Spinjitzu Master can'."

"Do Spinjitzu!" Kai realises.

"Exactly!" Zane replied as the others back away for Zane to do Spinjitzu. In the Spinjitzu tornado, Zane sees as if the statues were just one as it starts moving its crystal around, creating a zoetrope image of a yin and yang symbol. "He's creating some sort of shape." He soon disperses and points to the door with the symbol. "That one. That's the door out."

"I don't know, Zane." Cole said.

"Yeah, isn't that the same door we came in?" Maggie asked. "Are you sure?"

"Are you sure you want to doubt a Nindroid?" Zane asked.

"Open the door." Kai said to Geoff. "Let's find out." They soon came up to the door as Geoff soon pulled on the handle.


	6. The Second Clue

The door opened and to their shock, the path was different to the one they previously took. "But that wasn't here before." Cole said as they see it was the same room that Lloyd and Morro were once in before they see a golden staff, laying on a pedestal.

"How can it be the way if that's the way we came in?" Gewuji asked as they head down.

"Well, welcome to the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master." Kai replied as they spread out near the end.

"Hey, hey, nice one, Zane!" Jay said, remarking Zane's previous clue solving tactic. "Who needs a Sword of Sanctuary when you've got a Nindroid?"

"Well, whatever Zane did, I'm not going any further." Gewuji replied and heads back to the door. "Maybe it wasn't the right door we came out of. Which one is it?"

"I don't think you can get out backwards." Zane said as they continue ahead. "You gotta go forwards to go back." Gewuji soon sighed and followed them while closing the door.

* * *

Outside, the Destiny's Bounty flies across the air before it descends, landing into the ocean as Cirrus, Dragon, Misako and Tania come out from the bridge. Cirrus, Dragon and Tania were all wearing gis. "These are the coordinates Ronin's ship had directed them to." Misako said as they came to a stop.

"Then the tomb is right below here." Dragon replied.

"That's not all that's here." Nya said, looking through a telescope. Morro's friends must have paid a visit, but I don't see Ghoultar. The Ninja must have already taken care of him back in the Caves of Despair."

"Do you see Blake with them?" Cirrus asked.

"No, just Bansha and Soul Arch-" She gasps as she sees Soul Archer was looking at the Bounty through a telescope.

"What? Is it Blake?"

"They know we're here! Should we arm the cannons?"

"No." Dragon said.

"Master Wu's right." Tania replied. "Getting into unnecessary battles only distracts us from preparing for the necessary ones still ahead."

"So, we wait. But just in case, how is your water training coming?"

"Who knows?" Nya asked. "I can move water, but it's not like I can control it. Whatever."

"Whatever?" Dragon and Tania both ask.

"Ronin's indifference is rubbing off on her." Tania said.

"That girl has always put too much pressure on herself." Misako replied. "If she's moving water, perhaps it's working."

* * *

By the ghosts' boat, Soul Archer was still looking through the telescope as Bansha was behind him. "Why don't we attack?" She asked.

"Look at where we are." Soul Archer replied. "We can't risk losing our boat. Let's see who flinches first."

* * *

Back in the tomb's second riddle room, where the golden staff was, the Ninja look at it. "The staff of the First Spinjitzu Master." Kai said as he prepared to move forward.

"Wait!" Cole replied, stopping him. "This is the second test, remember?"

"Zane, what do you think?" Maggie asked.

Zane soon looks around before turning back to them. "P.I.X.A.L. can see no pattern." He replied. "For this riddle room, I'm at a loss."

"Think about it: the first test was 'A Spinjitzu Master CAN'." Jay said as they look at him. So this one's 'A First Spinjitzu Master CANNOT'. Though, saying it out loud, I don't like the sound of that."

Kai soon moved forward, but a tile he steps on soon moved down due to his weight. "Uh-oh." He said.

Arrowhead-like spikes soon came out to them and they quickly move out of the way as Zane ends up on the wall with the arrowheads closely around his shoulder, hips and his groin as one came near Kai's groin as well and one came at Gewuji's hair, trapping it. "Argh, it's got my hair!" She yelled before Geoff came and pulled it out of the wall before throwing it aside.

"I told you to cut your hair." He said.

"Well, I want to grow it to make dreadlocks!"

"Is everyone ok?" Cole asked.

Zane sighed as he freed himself. "That was a close one." He replied.

"Every step...is a trap." Jay said as he whimpered.

"How does one reach the staff if it becomes more difficult with every step to get there?" Maggie asked.

"If I'm correct, this riddle room poses quite the conundrum." Zane replied.

"So if a Spinjitzu Master can't do it, how are we supposed to reach the staff?" Cole asked.

"Watch and learn." Kai replied before he soon does Airjitzu before it disperses and he grabs hold of the column in front of the pedestal, causing more arrowheads to stick out near Kai's position. "Whoa, uh-oh!" He jumps back as an arrowhead barely misses him, but the moment he landed, the tile he stepped on triggers a spike trap, which he dodges, but more arrowheads came at him.

"No!" Geoff yelled as Kai stepped on another one, causing nearby tiles to fall down and fire took its place. "Wait!" Kai quickly jumps over the fire.

"Not that one!" Jay yelled.

Kai soon slides under as the spike trap nearly hits him. "Just stop!" Gewuji yelled as Kai came at them, but a wrecking ball passes by him, causing him to back away and step on another tile.

"Oh, no!" Maggie yelled as the tiles between Kai and the others fall down and they back away, but Geoff unintentionally steps on a tile that goes down, causing a boulder to appear behind them and everyone, except Cole, jumps over to where Kai is, but step on some tiles that go down.

"If this is a dream, wake me up!"

The wrecking ball soon came at Cole as he backed away, but it goes through him as he stepped on a tile that goes down. "Wait." He said. "I'm a ghost!" What am I worried about?" The wrecking ball hits a wall, causing water to burst in through the crack. "Huh? Whoa!" He jumps over to where the others were. "That! That I can worry about!"

They soon look at the staff as Kai sighed. "I can make it!" He said as he soon ran along the tiles, causing an ice spike to come down, making some tiles fall down, some fire shot coming at Kai which he dodges as two more ice spikes came down between him.

The others look up as an ice spike soon landed behind them, causing more tile to fall down as they move forward. An ice spike causes some tiles to fall down in front of Kai, making him fall, but her grabs hold of the edge, gets back up and jumps onto a column. "Kai!" Zane yelled.

"No!" Cole yelled as gas comes in behind Kai, causing him to jump off run over to another column, triggering more traps some tiles fall down as another raised up before jumping from one column back to the previous column he was from the start and held his hand out to try and grab the staff as more arrowheads came out and fired, making Kai jump back onto the previous column and gasped as he saw almost every tile was gone and the Ninja were spread out.

"WILL EVERYONE PLEASE STOP MOVING?!" Jay loudly asked.

* * *

Outside, Soul Archer is still watching the Destiny's Bounty. "Still no movement?" Bansha asked.

"They are waiting, like we are." Soul Archer replied.

"Why are we waiting? We should be attacking when they least expect it. I thought were aren't afraid of anything."

"Very well, but now is not the time. We'll need to be strategic about it. Patience."

* * *

Back in the tomb where the second riddle room is, Kai looks at the staff as everyone was spread out on the last few tiles there were in the room as he sighed. "I can make it." He said. "It's just a hop, skip and a jump." He tries Airjitzu, but falls back and lands on whatever tiles laid ahead of him, causing some of them to fall down and shuffle to the last tile.

"But what else comes with a hop, skip and a jump?" Geoff asked. "You trigger one more trap, I don't know how much more we can take."

"The clue clearly said this is a test a Spinjitzu Master cannot do." Gewuji replied.

"THEN WHY ARE WE NOT LISTENING TO THE CLUE?!" Jay loudly asked.

"Trust me, I can make it!" Kai replied.

"Wait." Cole said. "What if it's a trick? What if the reason we can't do it is because we were never meant to reach the staff? What is the first rule of being a Ninja?"

"A ninja never quits." Maggie replied.

"Exactly, and that's why we can't do it. Because a Ninja would never give up."

"What are you trying to say?" Kai asked. "We just quit? Are you insane?!"

"I think I know what Cole is up to." Geoff replied as he looked down the giant hole the trap triggering and the tiles around them that fell down had created. "Trust him." He soon jumps down the hole, yelling as everyone is shocked.

"Geoff!" The others, except Cole, yelled.

They look at each other, in concern, before they hear sounds of Geoff's whooping. "Come on down and enjoy the ride!"

"He's alive!" Zane yelled.

"What did you say, Geoff?" Maggie asked as she was confused by his words.

"Geronimo!" Gewuji yelled, diving down into the hole and yells.

"Wait for me!" Zane yelled as he jumped down the hole as well, also yelling.

Jay soon jumped down, yelling, followed by Cole as Maggie and Kai look at each other before they look at the staff. "I can do this." Maggie said as she looked down. "I can do this." She soon jumped down the hole, yelling as she did so as Kai kept looking at the staff.

Kai soon sighed as he soon jumped down the hole. "Whoa!" He yelled as he fell.


	7. The Third Clue

At the bottom, Kai and Maggie were sliding along a path, almost like a big slide as everyone slide around the path's spiral direction. "Seriously?" Kai asked as he slid down.

As they slide with Gewuji being the only one enjoying it, Geoff turned to the others. "Try to stay together!" He yelled.

They soon came across gaps and slide over them before they move through different paths separately and came across each other before they slide away. "Howdy do!" Gewuji yelled to Cole.

"Howdy do yourself!" He replied, not in the mood for jokes.

"Stay together?!" Jay asked, referring to Geoff's previous topic as they land on different slide. "I'm trying to stay in one piece!" He yells as they kept sliding down, coming across some loops which they slide around before sliding off and going through different tunnels.

"No!"

Zane laughs as he slides along as Gewuji and Maggie slide down close by. Kai's sliding was on an angle before he soon stops. "Oh, great!" He yelled before he falls off and lands on Geoff.

"Hey, get your own slide!" He yelled as they slide along before coming up to a path with some ice spikes.

"Sorry."

They see Cole, Gewuji and Maggie close by as they yell before they slide over to them, landing on them. "Are you guys heavy or what?"

They soon look ahead. "Whoa!" They all yelled as Jay was right behind them and he crashes into them, separating them as they slide along some bumps before Kai, Cole, Jay, Geoff, Gewuji and Maggie grab hold of a big ice stalactite.

"No, no!" Zane yelled as he slid up to them, crashing into Kai and Geoff, making them fall down with him.

The others soon start sliding down. "Uh-oh." Cole said as they all soon slide off and slide down an icy path with Kai, Zane and Geoff in front before they came up to a row of arched spikes.

"Oh, no!" Jay yelled as they tilt back and use their hands to shield their faces. When they passed through them, Kai and Gewuji found themselves holding ice spikes and get the idea as they see Jay and Geoff on some spikes themselves as they whoop. "I love skiing!"

Kai and Gewuji soon jump up, letting the ice spikes come to their feet and act like skis as they soon ski down to path and whooped. "Yeah!" Geoff yelled as they move along.

"Alright!" Cole said as he, Zane and Maggie were sliding nearby and Maggie chuckles.

"Kids." She said before they come across an ice wall, causing them to scream as they break through it, leaving their shapes in it. Jay soon screamed as he went through it. But for some reason, his shape replaced Cole, Zane and Maggie's shape before Geoff, who was screaming, went through it with his shape replacing Jay's and Kai and Gewuji scream as they pass through it. Both of their shapes replacing Geoff's.

* * *

As they came to in a cave, Zane slides off the pile of snow he landed in. "Is everyone ok?" He asked.

Gewuji laughs as she got up. "That was fun!" She said. "Hey, let's do it again!"

"Please don't." Maggie replied as they got up and started to move along. "I had enough excitement for one day."

"What did we get ourselves into?" Kai asked before Jay climbs up another pile of snow to see their surroundings.

"Oh!" He yelled. "It's a maze! I'm great at mazes!"

As they move along, Kai sees his reflection on a wall. He was wearing a red and white kimono and his face was wrinkled. He moved his hand to it as his reflection did the same and he gasps. "Whoa! If my reflection means anything, I'm starting to think we won't be breaking out of this maze any time at all."

Zane soon came up to another wall to see his reflection. He was wearing a silver and white kimono, but his face looked the same. "My reflection." He said. "Is that me?"

Gewuji soon came up to the wall and saw her reflection. She was wearing a black and cyan kimono, her face was wrinkled and her hair is all the way down to the bottom of her back, tied up. "I look older, but our attire is different." She said.

"I don't believe these reflections reveal our inability to escape, but a mere glimpse of our future selves." Maggie said, seeing her reflection. She had a tan and grey kimono, her face is wrinkled and her hair was short.

"Cirrus said to move forward, don't look ahead." Geoff said as he comes up to another wall to see his reflection. "Is that what it means?" He was wearing a yellow and white kimono, his face was wrinkled, has a moustache, his hair is very short and his eyes were showing what appeared to be a shade of white with barely any pupils seen. "I... would end up blind." He soon moved a hand to where his future moustache would be as his reflection did the same.

"Wait a minute." Cole said as he looked at another wall, but can't see his reflection at all. "Why is it that I can't see my reflection? Where is my reflection?"

"It's probably because you're a ghost." Kai replied as Jay went up to another wall as Geoff comes up to Cole and leads him to the wall Kai and Gewuji were looking at their reflections.

"Ghosts cast reflections, Kai." Zane said as Geoff shows his reflection of his future blind self as he had a hand on Cole's shoulder and their reflections look as if future Geoff was just holding his hand out.

"He's probably just looking in the wrong place." Gewuji replied.

"I am looking at the same place you are." Cole said.

"Hey, guys, guess what?" Jay asked as he saw his reflection. He was wearing a white and blue kimono, his face was wrinkled and beard done in a pirate's style as well as an eyepatch covering his left eye. "I get an awesome eyepatch!" He soon sees something else. "And there's something else." There is soon an image of Nya, looking older with longer hair and wearing a grey kimono as she rests her head on the shoulder of Jay's future self as he wraps an arm around her.

"What, Jay? What is so great that you see that I clearly cannot?"

"I end up with Nya." He quietly said as he looked at the reflection, before turning to the others. "Nothing." He quickly lies. "Just an eyepatch."

Cole soon turned back to see something forming in front of him. "Wait a minute, I think I see me." But it wasn't his reflection, it was Morro, on the other side. "It's Morro! He's in the maze too!"

Morro strikes the wall with the Sword of Sanctuary, breaking it and the broken wall buries Cole underneath it as Jay was about to come up to him, but Morro holds the sword at his neck. "All you Ninja do is talk." He said.

"There's something different about you." Jay replied.

"Blah, blah, blah. I'll stop you from talking!" He raises the sword high before preparing to strike, but Jay moves back before kicking Morro down.

He gets up as his hood slides down and they are shocked to see his face. "Blake?" Kai asked. "You took control of Blake's body?"

"He came at me before I could even get a hold of Lloyd again. And since he refuses to let me go, I had no choice but use his worthless body!"

"That means our powers are back. Where's Lloyd?"

"Oh, he's a little tied up at the moment."

"Fire!" He fires a ball of fire at Morro, who moves out of the way as the fire hits an ice spike, causing it to melt off as a few more grow in its place.

Jay soon runs off as Morro chases after him as he held his hand out. "Lightning!" He yelled, firing a bolt of lightning at Morro, but he moves to the side as Jay keeps running away and Morro resumes chasing him.

"Hang on, Jay, we're coming for you!" Geoff yelled as they soon take off.

"This is not the way." P.I.X.A.L. said from inside Zane's head.

"Guys, not that way!" Zane yelled, but only Geoff and Gewuji stopped before the three of them soon turn left.

* * *

Jay comes up to a dead end before he sees Morro's reflection behind him, preparing to strike, before he dodges and the sword breaks some ice spikes, causing more to grow in their place. As Jay backed away, Zane soon jumps on Morro from behind and he struggles with him before he looks at the sword's reflection and jumps off of him as some sand and glass came at Morro, but he kneels down as Geoff and Gewuji run at him. "Ninjago!" They both yelled, doing Spinjitzu, but Morro looks at the sword and jumps over them, causing them to crash into each other and land on the ground.

Jay comes up to an ice spike and pulls it off as more grow in its place and he uses it as Morro soon turned to block it. They continue clashing as Geoff grabs a big ice spike and pulls it off as more grow in its place before Gewuji grabs two of them and more grow in their place before they join Jay in sparring with Morro as Zane gets back on top of Morro's back. "Zane, Geoff and Gewuji are here, but Cole, where are you?" He asked.

* * *

"I don't really know." Cole replied as he ran along. "But I'm coming!" He soon trips, slides along and goes through a wall, ending up where Morro, Jay, Zane, Geoff and Gewuji were and ends up crashing into Morro and Zane as he slid by. "Huh! Why didn't I do that sooner?"

Morro gets up and swings the sword at Cole, who dodges as the sword hits an ice spike, breaking it off and more grow in its place as the spike flew along the air before Cole catches it and chuckles. Morro looks at the sword before turning as Gewuji swung both ice spikes at Morro, but he blocks them as Cole came up to him and swung his ice spike as well, but Morro blocks it before they slide back as Morro jumps into the air, Geoff comes between them to block the sword with his big ice spike before forcing his arms up, making Morro lose the sword before Geoff kicks him back. But before Geoff could grab it, Morro uses his power to move the sword around and swing it, making Geoff move back as he soon turned it to him, Cole and Gewuji. They try their best to block every attack Morro made with the sword in the air. "Oh look, no hands." He sarcastically said, mocking them as he came up to them before Cole prepared to strike him with his spike, but Morro catches it, brings the sword back into his hands and strike the spike, breaking it before kicking Cole away.

He soon looks at the sword to see Jay about to throw his ice spike and quickly moves to the side as Jay did so before charging at him with two more spikes. Morro jumps up as Jay starts slipping along the icy floor. "Whoa!" He said as Morro lands and slips along as well before they soon clash their weapons together before Morro kicks Jay down and prepared to strike, but Geoff arrives upon sliding along the floor on his knees and blocks the strike while moving Jay away.

He soon got up and blocked another strike before counter striking, which Morro quickly blocked, but it breaks the spike and he looks at it. "Uh-oh." He said.

As Morro was about to strike, Zane pushes Morro aside before he soon strikes, but they use their own spikes to block the sword before Morro knocked him on the ground before raising the sword to strike, but Zane quickly blocked it as he was close to some spikes and kicks him in the shin, making him fall down as he quickly got up and was about to strike. But as Morro spun, he manages to block the strike while looking at the blade as Maggie soon showed up and came up behind Morro, but he moves aside before swinging the sword at her, striking a spike on a wall, making more appear in its place as Zane soon struck Morro's legs, making him trip before he goes to strike again, but Morro blocks it and tries to kick Zane, but he jumps as Morro got up and they clash weapons before Morro kicks Zane at some spikes, causing them to break and more appear in their places, trapping Zane. "Ha, feeling a little enclosed?" He asked as he came up to him, laughing evilly and prepared to strike.

But before he could, Gewuji soon came between them and uses her spikes to block the sword before ducking down as Morro tried to strike her, but instead struck some spikes, breaking them as more appear in their places. Jay soon came at him, but he blocks the strike before moving to Cole to block his attack and then to Geoff, who uses another big spike, before blocking Gewuji's and then Maggie's, who is using one of the spikes Morro cut off, as Zane got free and tried to charge at Morro, but he blocks it as each one charges at him. "Slow down, so we can hit you!" Geoff yelled as he swung his spike, but Morro blocks it.

As they fought, Kai shows up and sees the spikes around them grow more as Morro struck some and gets an idea as he picks up a spike. Morro soon uses his wind power to knock them all away as Kai charges at him and prepares to strike, but Morro quickly blocks it as he backs away. "Come on!" He yelled as he came in between some spikes. "Catch me if you can!" Morro soon ran at Kai to strike, but he backflips as Morro strikes the spikes, breaking them off as more grow in their places, trapping Morro in them.

Morro tries his best to break through, but the more he struck, the more the spikes grow. "No!" He yelled as the Ninja look on. "You can't trap me. I'll find you, Ninja. Just wait, you'll see!"

"Quick." Jay said. "How do we get out of here?"

They soon move onward as Gewuji soon tripped. "To move forward, don't look ahead." Cole said, reciting the last part of the riddle.

"Don't look ahead...look below!" Gewuji said, noticing a light underneath their feet.

"There's light!" Kai said.

"Everyone, dig!" Geoff yelled as he, Kai and Maggie strike at the ground with their spikes while the others use their hands.


	8. The First Spinjitzu Master

A few seconds later, everyone soon fell into a cave from the dug out hole and got up. "Ow!" Jay yelled as they did so.

Up ahead, there was a stream as well as a shrine before they continue on before they jump down from some rocks in a rush. "What?" Gewuji asked. "What is it?"

They come up to the shrine to see a skeleton as well, with a straw hat that looks very old, holding a crystal in its hands. "It's him." Geoff replied. "The First Spinjitzu Master."

They bow down to the remains before looking at the crystal. "The Realm Crystal." Zane said.

Gewuji soon got up and looked at the First Spinjitzu Master's remains. "Forgive me, Master." She said as she soon took the crystal from his hands and held it up.

"How does it work?" Kai asked.

"How it works is you'll hand over the crystal or say goodbye to your friend!" Morro yelled as he brought an unconscious Lloyd in.

Lloyd groaned as he regained consciousness. "I'm sorry. He said. "Blake sacrificed himself for me."

"And I have no further use for his body. Blake, let go of me now!" Blake soon falls back onto the ground as Morro's ghost still held Lloyd. "So, what'll it be?"

"If we hand him the crystal, he'll usher the reign of his master, cursing Ninjago and every realm." Zane whispered.

"But if we don't, when has he never made good on a threat?" Cole asked.

"Look at Lloyd." Geoff replied. "He's too weak to protect himself."

"And Blake is too, from making Morro take his body." Maggie said.

"Either option totally stinks!" Jay replied. "What do you think, Kai? What do we do?"

Kai soon took the Realm Crystal from Gewuji. "Looks like the decision is up to you, Kai." Morro said as he still held Lloyd. "So choose." Kai looks at the crystal for a bit.

* * *

Outside, Misako looks at a rock, through a telescope as Dragon came up to her. "Why so concerned?" He asked.

"Their ship went behind that rock five minutes ago, but still hasn't passed." Misako replied.

"Raise the sails. Now!"

They soon see the ship come by. Soul Archer aims an arrow from his bow and fires. "Nya!" Tania yelled as Nya soon held her hands out. "If that arrow ghosts the Bounty, there won't be much to stand on. And I don't want to be in the water."

A wave soon emerges as the arrow soon hits it, before disappearing as the wave soon goes down. "Hurry, Misako, I said raise the sails!"

"Not Misako, only Bansha!" Misako replied, in Bansha's voice and sports her eyes as she was being controlled.

* * *

Back in the tomb, Morro moves the sword close to the back of Lloyd's neck, causing a cut to appear and blood to come out. "Stop stalling!" Morro yelled. "Give me the Realm Crystal or else!"

"We're not stalling, we're thinking!" Kai replied before they huddle. "He's totally right. I'm stalling. What are we gonna do?"

"This guy really chaps my hide." Cole said. "I swear when this is all over-" He soon conjures some small stones underneath his feet.

"Of course, since Morro came out of Lloyd's body and into Blake's, our powers came back."

"Yeah, but like Lloyd, they're weak now. And we're in no position to fight back."

"Leave that to me. Be ready."

"Time's up." Morro called out. "You leave me no choice."

Blake soon regained consciousness and looked at Morro. "Wait!" He yelled as Morro turned to him. "Let me tell you a story, Morro. My father would often tell this to any one of his rogue clones. 'The scorpion wants to cross a river, and asks the frog to help him across. The frog replies: "I can't trust you, you're a scorpion!" The scorpion replies: "Sure you can!" and hops on the frog's back. Halfway across, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog asks: "Why did you do that? Now we're both gonna die." The scorpion replies: "I can't help it. I'm a scorpion."' So, what are you? Are you the frog, or the scorpion?"

"We're giving you the Realm Crystal, now!" Kai said as he lit it with his fire.

He soon throws it to Morro, who lets go of Lloyd and catches it. But the heat of the crystal burns his hand and he ends up dropping it, into the stream. "The crystal!" He yelled. "What have you done?!" Lloyd soon got up and kicked the Sword of Sanctuary out of his hand as Blake also got up and came between him and Morro before he could come at him. "I just thought about what you said to me, clone. About the question if I was the frog or the scorpion. Well, I am the scorpion!" He soon kicks Blake into Lloyd and they fall off the edge.

Blake soon grabbed hold of the edge and catches Lloyd, but Morro soon came up to him and stomps on Blake's hand, making him let go and they fall down. Blake manages to land on the edge of the stream, but Lloyd falls in. "Lloyd!" They all yelled. Lloyd surfaces as the stream's currant starts pulling him.

* * *

Outside, the Soul Archer's arrows fire at the Bounty as Nya conjured a big water shield to stop them as Dragon, Cirrus and Tania poise in front of Misako as she was controlled by Bansha before she charges at them. She swings a fist at Dragon, but he moves back as Cirrus jumps up to try and kick her, but Misako grabbed the leg and throws her aside before knocking Dragon as she turned to Tania. "Bitch!" She yelled as she came at her before Tania immediately blocked a punch.

"I can't keep this up!" Nya yelled as she turned to them.

"Bansha is controlling her, and I can't remember how to stop the spell." Tania replied.

"How's this for a refresher?" Nya still had one hand up for the water shield before using her other hand to spray water at Misako, causing her eyes to return to normal.

"What just happened?" She asked.

* * *

On board the ghosts' boat, Bansha opened her eyes when she realised her possession of Misako was now cut before the boat crashes into a bank of rocks. She and Soul Archer start arguing as the boat sank. "Now, why didn't you steer in the right direction?" Soul Archer asked.

"Me?" Bansha asked. "You're the one who was supposed to be at the helm!"

* * *

Back in the tomb, the Ninja run down the stream's path as Lloyd was being dragged down as he tried to hold his hand out to them. "I can't get to him." Kai said. "I can't swim!"

"You can't swim?" Cole asked Kai tried to grab Lloyd, but missed. "I can't touch the water! I'm a ghost, remember? And you at least had a reflection! What happens to me?!"

"Well, Blake can't swim after him because he is too weak from Morro possessing him!" Geoff replied as they look to see the girls tending to Blake.

Close by, Jay runs for the Sword of Sanctuary as Morro rolls over to it and grabs it as he jumps over Jay before holding it out to him as Zane fires some ice at Morro, freezing the blade and the added weight causes the sword to move down. "Nice one, Zane." Jay said as he got up and Zane runs at Morro as he swings the frozen sword at him, but he rolls underneath it, breaking a bit of the ice and Jay jumped at him, but Morro dodges as he lands and prepares to strike, but Zane kicks the sword, breaking more ice off the blade.

By the stream, Lloyd was still being dragged by the currant before he is soon close to sinking. "He's gonna drown!" Cole yelled.

"This is crazy." Geoff replied as they stop.

"What am I doing?" Kai asked before he soon dives in, followed by Geoff. They managed to get to him as they dove underwater to grab him before surfacing.

Back further, Morro looks at the sword's reflection as Jay held his hands out to fire lighting as he moved out of the way for Zane to take the shot and fall down as Morro soon ran off. "Oh, no!" Jay said as he came up to him.

"Hey!" Gewuji yelled as she fires pieces of glass at Morro, who uses the sword to block them as he soon ran.

"Geoff and Kai got Lloyd, but who's got them?!"

Kai and Geoff try the best to keep Lloyd from going under again while trying to find something to grab on. Kai manages to grab hold of a rock pillar, but soon lost his grip of Lloyd as he and Geoff resume going down the stream. "Oh, come on!" Cole yelled as he ran and Kai got out.

"Geoff!" Gewuji yelled as she immediately ran from Morro to catch up with Cole.

"You'll have to grab them!" Zane yelled. "Before they both go over!"

Cole and Gewuji soon came at the end to see a waterfall before Cole holds his hand out. Geoff tries to grab it, but he and Lloyd briefly go under, but he manages to surface and grabs his hand, but loses grip on Lloyd. "Lloyd!" He yelled.

"I got him!" Gewuji yelled as she ran past.

As they kept on being dragged by the currant, they were soon at the edge, next to the waterfall with Geoff's hand holding Cole's before Lloyd nearly goes over, but Gewuji grabs his hand before Cole throws Geoff, causing him to come out and land close to the stream. He soon sees the Realm Crystal about to go over and it does so. "No!" Cole yelled.

But the moment it went over, it suddenly starts to slowly levitate and lands in Morro's hands and he laughs. "My powers are growing weak for some reason, but I still got the crystal." He said as he took off and the others come up to Cole and Geoff as Gewuji tried pulling Lloyd in before Kai helps her.

"Everyone run!"

"No!" The others yell.

"I'm sorry." Lloyd replied.

"No, it's me that should be sorry." Blake said. "I followed Ronin to Stiix and allowed myself to let him possess me to keep away from you."

"It doesn't matter." Kai replied. "What matters now is getting out of here."

"Let's go." Geoff said as he and Gewuji help Lloyd up while Blake looks at his hand as a little bit of wind comes out of it.

Lloyd soon looked over at Gewuji before smiling. "Gewuji, thank you." He said.

"No problem." She replied, also smiling, but then blushed a bit.

* * *

Outside, Morro sees his ship sinking with Soul Archer and Bansha holding onto the mast as they still argue with each other. "Must I do everything?!" He asked.

"You have the Realm Crystal." Soul Archer replied. "Let's get out of here!" Morro holds the crystal up as the sun shines on it and a ray of light appears off of it before a beam appears in the sky.

By the Destiny's Bounty, Nya, Cirrus, Misako, Dragon and Tania see the beam as it soon turned into a portal and Morro and the ghosts go through it. "They took the Realm Crystal." Nya said.

"But...what about the others?" Misako asked. Dragon soon turned away and sighed as Cirrus took the telescope to look through it herself.

She soon sees the Ninja emerge from the exit and gasps. "They made it!" She yelled as everyone cheers.

"I knew they could!" By the exit, Geoff and Gewuji place Lloyd down before Geoff sat down himself as they all wave at them.

"My son!" Misako said. "They've saved him!"

"Blake's there too!" Cirrus replied.

"You all sacrificed so much to save me." Lloyd said. "But Blake most of all."

"I may not be a true Ninja, but I know how to pick my decisions." Blake replied.

"Wrong, you are a Ninja, Blake." Cole said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"But now Ninjago's gonna be cursed." Lloyd said.

"Yes, but now we have you." Gewuji replied.

"And now our powers are back." Jay said as he emits a small bolt of lightning.

"As you get strong, so will we." Cole said as he conjures some earth. "And they haven't seen us at full strength." They soon fire their powers into the air.


	9. New Year, Old Problems

In Ninjago City, lanterns were all around the city as fireworks were going off and people move along the streets, some carrying a dragon costume as they pass by Chen's Noodle House.

* * *

Inside, Ronin was the only one there as the restaurant was no longer filled with customers when they heard Chen was responsible for the Second Serpentine War. Skylor, who took over the business, didn't mind as it was some peace and quiet for her. "The season of change is almost to an end, and residents of Ninjago eagerly await to celebrate tonight's New Year Festival." A news reporter on a nearby TV said as some people wave at the camera as they were in Stiix.

"Hard to believe you don't have any friends to usher in the new year." Skylor said as she came up to him and holding a pot of tea.

"Let's just say I'm good at making friends, just not keeping 'em." Ronin replied.

"Even a friend who spoils the party every once in a while is still a better friend than someone who stays away." Skylor fills a cup for him before looking at his Aeroblade and he takes it off the table. "It's ok. I've been around enough weapons in my day. In fact, kinda reminds me of some old friends."

"How much do I owe ya?"

"It's on the house. Friend."

"Appreciate it. Mind if I smoke in here?"

"Go right ahead."

Ronin soon got out a cigarette, lights it and takes a puff before holding it in his hand as he looks at the TV. "The festival celebration is going on all over Ninjago." The news reporter said on the TV.

"Hey, mind turning that up?" Ronin asked.

"But not only in Ninjago. Other cities in every corner-"

"You know that sewer swamp?" Skylor asked as she turned the volume up.

"Yeah." Ronin replied as he took a puff. "I used to call it home." He soon held the cigarette packet out. "Want one?"

"No thanks. I don't smoke."

"And no other town likes to celebrate more than the residents in Stiix County." The news reporter said on the TV.

* * *

In Stiix, among the lanterns around the town, the citizens were moving about, several moving dragon costumes about as they cheer, followed by drums playing and fireworks. "Wow!" A kid said.

"Awesome!" Another kid said.

* * *

Nearby, Morro lands and enters Ronin's shop as he held the Realm Crystal. "Now let's shed some light." He said as he placed the crystal onto a trophy.

The crystal shines as a portal appears underneath it and ghosts start pooling out. "Ah, it's good to be back." The ghost that the Ninja encountered on their way to Stiix said.

"How long until the Preeminent is ready?"

"Her energy is still too strong to cross the ethereal divide." Soul Archer said.

"The longer the gateway stays open, the stronger it becomes." Bansha said. "We must prepare for her arrival."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Morro asked. "Let the festivities begin!" He soon raises his hands into the air as the portal soon moved up and more ghosts start coming out.

* * *

The ghosts start to move along Stiix as the lanterns they pass by turn from red to green as the citizens are shocked by the ghosts' presence. Sylvester sees a ghost coming at him as he held a water balloon. "Go away!" He yelled, throwing the water balloon at it, but the ghost avoids it, causing him to run.

One ghost comes up to two couples and roars, causing them to scream and run away as he laughs before moving on. One ghost moves along a line of light bulbs that shine red before the one he touches turns green before her crushes it in his hand before continuing with the next light. The citizens run around in fear as the ghost laughs. It soon moves along the street before possessing a ghost costume and moves up. "Hey, my dragon!" A boy yelled.

* * *

Up in the skies, Morro, on his Power Dragon, looks on as it soon roared before he starts groaning. "What is going on with me?" He asked himself.

* * *

At Steep Wisdom, the Destiny's Bounty lands as everyone starts to get off. "Shouldn't we be going to Stiix?" Kai asked Dragon. "The longer we wait, the worse it'll get."

"We need to stock up." Dragon replied.

"On what?" Gewuji asked. "Magic tea that will make us invincible? Give us special powers?"

"Is it gonna give us four arms?!" Jay asked.

They come up to the front of the shop. "Sadly, no magical tea today." Dragon replied, pointing to the shop, which has a sign on the front of the door. "I had to sell the rest of the merchandise, along with everything else."

"'Under new management'?" Geoff asked.

"You sold your business?" Zane asked. "But that was for your retirement."

The doors soon open, revealing Cyrus Borg. "Ah, hello again, Ninja!" He said.

"Dad." Blake said.

"While we were away, I had Borg use the money from the tea farm to create us some new toys to balance the scales. They are expensive, you know."

"It's been so long, I hardly recognise any of you. Lloyd looks older. I see a Water Ninja. This girl with the black hair, I don't know."

"This is Gewuji, my sister." Geoff said. "And the Crystal Ninja."

"And there's another girl with red hair that I don't know."

"Maggie, Tan Ninja." Maggie said.

"Ok. A Titanium Nindroid." He chuckles. "Cole is...a-a ghost." He chuckles again. "Blake, you've become a Ninja as well and I see you have grown some muscle."

"Did I, dad?" Blake asked as he soon flexed his left arm to feel some muscle.

"Jay looks shorter, Geoff, well, nothing's changed, and...And then there's Kai."

"Hey!" Jay yelled. "What do you mean, I look shorter?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Borg, but cut to the chase." Kai said. "We don't have much time."

"As always, the impatient one." Cyrus replied as he wheels into the shop to head over to a button. "Come, let me show you." He soon pressed it.

The symbol on the ground behind soon descends before it opens up and a floor rises, revealing mechs and vehicles. "Now, if you want a little muscle with that hustle, I've made Jay a lightning-fast Ghost Taker GT. Front spectral intake, rear incorporeal storage."

Jay soon laughs. "Why did the ghost cross the street?" He asked as he went up to it. "I don't know, maybe 'cause he saw me coming in THAT!" He soon jumps into a blue one seater vehicle and started it.

"Blake, I redesigned one of your samurai vehicles and turned it into the S/N Tank, with Deepstone armour and a cannon filled with water."

"Oh, thanks, dad." Blake said as he went up to a four seater vehicle that looks like a tank with a giant water cannon on the roof. "Looks like Christmas is early this year." He soon got in and started it, before he and Jay do some practise laps.

"Zane's Ice Mech. Sure, it appears to be the same, but I've equipped the underarms with Deepstone particle shooters, allowing you to freeze the competition."

"Super cool." Zane said as he ran up to the mech. "And I mean quite literally."

"Geoff, your Sand Driller has new arms which can fire bolts made of Deepstone and is infinite."

"Now that is my type of toy." Geoff said as he soon went over to it and jumped into it.

"Cole, I've made you a Ghost Cycle. Twin carbine blasters, auto-evasive handling. Made entirely of Deepstone, perfectly moulded to fit the, uh...body-less. And I've set all the radio presets to your favourite: soft rock.

Cole soon got on a big motorbike. "I do love a slow jam." He said as he starts it and soft rock starts playing. "Whoa-ho!"

"And for you, Kai." Cyrus throws something at him and he catches it.

"A headband." He said.

"A personal embroidered headband. 32 thread count, easy tie capabilities. I apologise. I lost track of the time building the other vehicles. Same goes for the girls and you, Lloyd. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure you'd be making it back."

"Hey, I'm just happy to be here." Lloyd said. "We'll take any help we can get."

Blake soon stopped his S/N Tank. "And I can share my ride with the girls." He said. "I do need a co-driver and someone to handle the water thing."

"I hear Morro has opened a bridge between our two realms." Cyrus said. "It'll take time for the Preeminent to cross."

"Which is why we need Lloyd to use his powers to destroy the Realm Crystal before that happens." Dragon replied. "If Ninjago is cursed, the other realms are sure to follow."

"But they'll be expecting us." Nya said.

"And Morro still has the Sword of Sanctuary." Cirrus said. "Even with all those fancy new vehicles, how are they supposed to get close?" Jay soon stopped.

"Yeah, we're supposed to take on an army of ghosts?" He asked.

"Maybe Lloyd can lure him out." Tania replied. "He said he always wanted to be the Green Ninja."

"No." Dragon replied. "He will not leave the Realm Crystal unguarded until his master is freed."

"But even with our powers back, he's seen all of our moves." Cole said.

"Then we'll show him something he hasn't, a Water Ninja." Kai replied as he started dragging Nya between the vehicles.

"But...but I'm still in training." She replied. "I don't know if it will be enough to stop them."

"Nya, when our parents passed and James was killed, you were there for me. Now I'm here for you."

"He's right." Geoff said. "She's our greatest weapon."

"And as brother sharpens brother, the same should always go for a sister." Zane replied. "Just like back in the tomb."

"Our greatest weapon isn't what we can throw at him, it's what we have right here." Lloyd said. "A united team."

"So what do you think, Nya?" Dragon asked. "Are you ready to lead them into battle?"

"I'm in." Nya replied. "But if they know we're coming straight for 'em, how about we show them not every path is a straight line?"

"Intrigued." Zane said. "Do you have a plan?"

"I'll explain on the way."


	10. Dinner Rush

In Stiix, a boat captain looks at Stiix from his location as ghosts were moving around it. "Captain, dinner is ready." A crew member said.

The captain turns to see the crew member come out, carrying a lot of burgers and pizzas. "Just keep the food coming." The captain replied. "These ghosts' appetites is like nothing I've seen. Go!"

* * *

The crew member immediately took off into the city as he came up to a ghost and nervously walked closer to it. The ghost laughs as he takes a burger and eats it before grabbing another one and eats it. "No!" More ghosts soon come and charge at the crew member. "No! No, no, no, no, no!" He soon takes off as they chase after him, managing to take some food before he hides around the corner of a house and sees a cage full of some citizens and Sylvester.

"Finally, food!" He said.

"Oh, you poor people!" Unfortunately, a ghost soon grabs a burger, making the crew member back away as another ghost comes up behind him and takes the last of the burgers. "Bon appétit!"

* * *

Soul Archer soon passes by and heads up a tower to where Morro, Bansha and Ghoultar are. "The gateway is becoming more stable." He said. "Soon."

"Any sign of the Ninja?" Morro asked.

"No, but we have two spooks at every nook and cranny in this watering hole." The second summoned ghost replied. "And even if they do show, any one of us they strike down can simply return through the portal. You're invincible, Morro."

"I thought that once before. Let them revel, but we must not let our guard down."

"Don't worry, Morro." Soul Archer said. "Soon you will be the Green Ninja, and then the 18 realms will be ours." They soon cackle as Morro starts to groan a bit. "Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, I'm sure it'll pass."

* * *

At the entrance to Stiix, four noodle trucks enter as Bansha and some ghosts allow them to move along as Morro's dragon roared as it passes by. At the last two trucks, Bansha sees Dragon and Misako at the front and moves in front of it, making the truck stop. "Wu." She said. "A special delivery I presume?" The ghosts soon move to the back of the truck and open it, only to find it empty. They soon turn to the last one to see Cirrus and Tania at the front of their truck.

"Bansha, the traitorous bitch is in this one!" One of the ghosts called out.

"Let me talk to my pupil." Dragon said as he got out. "It doesn't have to end this way."

"Master!" Bansha's face suddenly changed to Morro's, including his voice. "I was wondering when you were going to show up."

"Morro."

"You think I'll let you stroll right in? Your wisdom fails you in your old age."

"Last chance, Morro. You may no longer be my pupil, but I still can teach you a lesson. My Ninja are well trained, and they will defeat every last one of you. Give up now, or forever rest in peace."

"Take them." The ghosts soon grab Dragon and Misako. "You think I'd ever let the Ninja in my town? Foolish damn old man!"

* * *

In the city, Kai and Gewuji, both wearing straw hats and Steep Wisdom uniforms over their gis, prepare to bring some food to a table of ghosts as they laugh. "I'm starving!" One of them yelled.

"I'm deadly hungry!" Another ghost yelled as they slide the food along the table.

"We can only give them to you one at a time!" Kai yelled.

"Give me food!" Another ghost yelled. "I want burgers!"

"Okay, Mr. Impatient." Gewuji replied.

"This is so good!" Another ghost replied as Kai and Gewuji leave. "Wonderful!"

"Anyone have eyes on the Realm Crystal?" Kai quietly asked into a communicator hidden inside his hat.

* * *

"It appears to be inside what used to be Ronin's pawn shop in the centre of town." Zane replied as he and Geoff looked on from a rooftop, both wearing straw hats and Steep Wisdom uniforms over their gis.

"Morro's there, and it's highly guarded." Geoff said as they see Morro's dragon move by.

* * *

At the dock, Jay, Blake and some workers see a crane lower down to some boxes. Jay and Blake were both wearing straw hats and Steep Wisdom uniforms over their gis before they jump onto a box as the crane grabbed hold of it and signalled the operator to raise it. "Do you really think we can get Lloyd in there to destroy it?" Jay asked into his communicator. "I don't know if we can pull Morro away long enough."

* * *

"Yeah, well, that's the plan." Cole replied as he was in the close proximity, along with Maggie. They were both wearing straw hats and Steep Wisdom uniform over their gis. "Everyone in position?"

* * *

"Let's do this." Kai replied as Lloyd comes up underneath the floorboards and looks at him and Gewuji before nodding.

They turn back to the ghosts as Gewuji holds a teapot. "Tea, anyone?" She asked.

"Yes, please." A ghost replied. Gewuji soon moved the teapot at him, splashing water on him, causing him to scream and disappear.

"You bitch!" The ghost that was next to him yelled as Gewuji dropped the teapot and they jump onto the table.

"I'm sorry!" Gewuji yelled as she and Kai soon ran away with the ghosts chasing after them around the table while Lloyd emerges from underneath the floorboards and turns left.

* * *

Close by, Lloyd sees Jay and Blake, riding on the box as it was still on the crane. "Hey, move back!" Jay yelled to some ghosts below and they do so. "Thanks." Blake signals the operator to lower the crane and he does so as Lloyd quickly passes by, jumping over a fence before continuing on.

* * *

As he runs down a path, he comes to a halt as two ghosts were about to come onto the path before buckets of water land near them, spilling water. They look up to see Geoff and Zane on the rooftop. "Watch it!" One of the ghosts yelled.

"Sorry!" Zane replied.

"We're both butterfingers!" Geoff said as Lloyd soon crept behind the ghosts before moving on.

* * *

Close by, a few ghosts listen to The Deserters' version of Ghostbusters as it plays on a gramophone. "#Don't think I ain't afraid of you, because there's no such thing as you#" Cole's voice sang.

"#But if you truly exist, I know who to call#" Geoff's voice sang.

Close by, Cole waves at Lloyd before he moves behind some crates while behind them, Dragon, Cirrus, Misako and Tania were among the many civilians in a cage. "Get ready." Dragon said. "It's almost time."

Maggie nods to Cole, who immediately runs over to the gramophone and heads inside it, leaving his Steep Wisdom uniform behind. The music soon sped up as the ghosts dance faster. "#They are the hunters of, spooky little things like you#" Geoff's voice sang fast as Maggie held her thumb out to Lloyd and he passes by.

"#It's illegal to mention them, but we don't really care at all#" Cole's voice sang fast.

Soon, Morro's dragon roared as it looked down to see Lloyd, running along the streets. Soul Archer soon shows up in front of him, aiming his bow and arrow. "Look what we have here." He said.

Morro, Ghoultar and the ghost soon came up behind him. "The Green Ninja." Morro said. "So rude. Hasn't anyone told you it's not polite to be late to the party?"

* * *

Several minutes later, ghosts laugh as they bring Lloyd to Morro by Ronin's shop before Soul Archer pushes him down to kneel before Morro. "Now that we've got him, what do you want us to do with him?" Bansha asked as she came up to Morro.

"Surely it's not just you." Morro said to Lloyd. "I know your Ninja are never far." He soon looks around. "Come out, come out, wherever you are! I have your beloved Green Ninja!"

The ghosts laugh as Zane and Geoff look on from the rooftop. "Oh, no." Geoff said as they look on.

"You think you can come into my home and steal the crystal I rightfully earned? You think I'll just hand it to you, just like the green gi was handed to you?! Tell me." He forces Lloyd back while having his hand on his neck. "Tell all of us that I'm better than you and I'll let you go." The ghosts cheer. "What's the matter, asshole? Cat got your tongue?" He soon prepares to remove Lloyd's hood.


	11. The Distraction

Morro immediately pulled off Lloyd's hood, but to his surprise. It wasn't Lloyd he was facing, it was Nya, causing them all to gasp. "Sorry, I couldn't hear you." She sarcastically said as she got up. "I'm still a little wet behind the ears." She soon conjures a ball of water.

"She's a Water Ninja." Morro said to the ghosts. "She's- Protect the Realm Crystal!" The ghosts soon come close to her, but she spins around, blasting them with her water, causing them to disappear before she turned to two ghosts and fired another spray of water at them, causing them to disappear before she turned to Morro, who backs away as Nya conjures a big ball of water and throws it at him, but he fires a gust of wind at it, making it land with a splash before he flies into the air and fires a gust of wind at her.

* * *

Nearby, Kai and Gewuji look on from over a fence. "The plan to get him away from the Realm Crystal worked." Kai said to someone.

"We'll clear a path for you, then you can do the rest." Gewuji said to the person. The person they were talking to was Lloyd, who was in his civilian clothes. "And be careful."

"I will." He replied. "Let's do this." Lloyd and Kai soon climb over the fence and head for the shop while Gewuji looked on before she runs off somewhere else as they remove their disguises.

* * *

Inside, the ghosts Nya defeated come out of the portal. "Look at that." The ghost said. "We're back!"

"Let's get 'em!" Another ghost called out and they head out of the shop.

* * *

Close by, Nya fires water at Morro, who uses his wind power to deflect it as she soon fired another shot of water, but Morro conjures a shield of wind, blocking it as Nya prepares to run around him, but he fires a big gust of wind, knocking her into the wall of a building. Morro soon came up to her and laughed. "Nice knowing you." He said as he soon held his hand out to Nya, but to his surprise, wind doesn't come out of it. "What happened to my power?"

"Oh, that's probably my fault." Someone replied before Blake soon showed up next to Nya before removing his disguise. "I, uh, took it, without your permission." He soon held his hand out as a small bit of wind soon came out of it. "Besides, you won't be needing it. When I first became a Ninja, I was but a learner, now I am the Master of Wind."

"You're still a wannabe Ninja, clone! I will get my power back when I possess you again!"

"Try it."

Morro charges at Blake, who flips back before holding his hands out, blowing Morro back before he looks at the Sword of Sanctuary and moves to the side as Blake charged at him, but Morro kicks him in his buttocks, causing him to roll onto the ground and straightens himself.

* * *

Close by, two dragons charge at Nya. "Chill out!" Zane yelled as he and Geoff arrive in their mechs as Zane chuckles. "It feels good to have our powers back. Ice!" He fires a blast of ice at the dragons, freezing them.

* * *

Close by, Dragon sees the frozen block. "It's time we get these people out of here." He said before turning to the others. "Everyone stand back." They move away as Dragon soon conjures his Power Dragon, which soon bites a set of bars in front of them. The citizens soon take off for the ship.

But, as they see the ship, blocked by boxes, they are forced aside as Jay, in his Ghost Rider, drives along, tooting the horn so that the citizens could move away. "Even better to have a new ride." He said as he moved along the streets. He soon crashes into a ghost, who uses its sword to hit the hood. "Hey! You scratched my brand new car!" He soon presses a button, which brings out a vacuum and the ghost is sent into it, causing him to chuckle. "Sucker!"

* * *

Near Ronin's shop, Kai, who is out of his disguise and wearing the headband, and Lloyd back away from some ghosts before the S/N Tank shows up. "Girls, a little help!" Kai yelled.

"On our way!" Maggie, who was driving it, replied before reversing to turn right as Kai and Lloyd move away and Gewuji turned the water cannon around before spraying water at the ghosts, causing them to disappear and Maggie whoops.

"Thanks!" Lloyd said as he soon took off. "Great job, you two!"

"You're welcome." Gewuji called out.

* * *

Nearby, Lloyd stops around a corner to see a lot of ghosts, eating at a big table. "Oh, this is good." A ghost said.

"So good." Another ghost replied.

"Hey look!" Another ghost called out, spotting Lloyd. "A Ninja!"

Cole soon appears on his Ghost Cycle, spins around them and comes up to the end of the table. "Dinner is served!" He yelled before moving along the table, knocking the food into the ghosts and causing them to disappear before Cole turned to Lloyd.

"Cole, on the roof!" Lloyd called out.

Cole looks up to see the Soul Archer, who aims his bow and arrow before laughing as Cole presses a button, bringing some cannons out and fires them, hitting Soul Archer and causing him to disappear.

* * *

Nearby, Morro, who is holding Blake to try and possess him again, hears the explosion and looks at the smoke ball. "The Ninja are winning!" He yelled to some ghosts. "Get out there and stop them!" They soon take off as he turned back to Blake. "Now, surrender your body to me, once again."

"Not this time!" Blake yelled, holding his hands out and blows some wind, flying away from Morro as he is shocked.

"Why didn't I ever do that?"

* * *

Close by, Nya blasts water at some ghosts as more are still coming out of the portal inside the shop. As Nya soon held her hands out, a gust of wind behind her expands the water at the ghosts, causing them to disappear and she looks to see it was Blake before they high five each other. "Mini flooding." He and Nya soon look up at Morro.

* * *

By the boat, Lloyd was almost to the shop as Dragon and Tania see him. "Keep going, Lloyd!" Tania yelled as Lloyd briefly turned to them.

"You're almost there!" Dragon yelled.

* * *

As Lloyd runs along the street, he sees Bansha on a rooftop and stops as she raises and laughs, causing Lloyd to gasp. "Take this!" Geoff's voice was heard as his mech appears and fires some Deepstone bullets at her, causing her to disappear as Lloyd soon ran off.

Ghoultar and some ghosts soon show up in front of him, making him aim his mech's arms and fires them. Some ghosts disappear once they got hit, but smoke soon emits from them and they stop. "Ghoultar feel lucky tonight." Ghoultar said as he charges at Geoff.

"Ice!" Zane yelled as he soon appeared and his mech fires some ice at Ghoulter, freezing him.

"Thanks, Zane. My guns overheated."

"Particle shooters disabled." P.I.X.A.L. said from inside Zane's head as Ghoultar breaks free and charges at Zane.

"My ice can't stop him!" He yelled as Ghoultar starts to attack, but Zane uses his mech's arm to defend himself.

"My guns need to cool down before I can help!" Geoff replied.

* * *

Nearby, Cole comes up to them. "I'm coming to help!" He yelled before he soon sees the ghost from before, swinging his chain about while on his bike and they charge at each other before the ghost throws his chain up and flies over Cole's bike. "Hey!" The chain had wrapped around two posts, which serves as a barricade which the bike soon hits, causing Cole to fly off.

* * *

Nearby, Kai climbs up a post before stopping when he sees Blake and Nya backing away from ghosts while using their powers. "He's too strong!" Nya yelled.

"We can't...keep this...up for...long!" Blake yelled as he used his new wind powers to blow the ghosts away while Nya used her water power to blast them, making them disappear, but they reappear when they exit the shop.

"You guys have to!" Kai replied. "You can do it!" He soon sees Soul Archer, aiming his bow and arrow at him before he fires. Kai soon took off his headband and slides along the wire with the headband as a zip line while knocking off lamps as the arrow pursued him before the S/N Tank shows up and Gewuji fires water at not only the arrow, but Kai as well as he lands near them, wet.

"Sorry!" Gewuji yelled.

"I really hate getting wet! You're paying for my dry cleaning when this is all over!" He soon got up and looked at the headband. "32 thread count!" He puts it back on, over his wet hair as he finds himself and the tank surrounded by ghosts. "Gewuji!"

"I can't, the tank's empty!"

* * *

Close by, ghosts are getting sucked in by Jay's vehicle as he soon sucked a ghost with a scythe, but the scythe blocks the vacuum. "You monster!" He yelled. He soon spins around before the vacuum pops and all the ghosts he captured fly out of it. "No!"

* * *

Back at the shop, Nya fires a burst of water, which Morro dodges as Blake fires a gust of wind as he was in the air, but he lowers down as Lloyd was close by and Nya and Blake fire their powers together, combining them, but Morro jumps out of the way as they look on, shocked before he kicks them both off the roof, into the wall of a building. "Is that all?" Morro asked. "Is that all you two got? You, wannabe, can't control my powers properly!"

Ghosts soon surround the two before a burst of energy causes them to disappear and they see Lloyd. "Hey!" He yelled, jumping up to Morro and pushes him, causing him to roll back. "Looks like this is just between us."


	12. Battle for Green

Lloyd soon conjured two energy balls in his hands as he looked at Morro while he got up and holds up Lloyd's hood. "The green gi belongs to me now." He soon laughs before putting it back in his pocket. "You think I'm gonna make this easy?"

"It will be, without your powers to help you out!" Lloyd replied.

"I may not have my power, but I still have the Sword of Sanctuary!" Morro backflipped as he pulled the sword out and poised. "Let's see how good you are!"

Lloyd soon fired the energy balls, which Morro dodges before laughing as he charges at him, before looking at the sword as Lloyd conjures a bigger ball of energy and fired it, but Morro uses the sword to deflect it, knocking Lloyd off the roof. "Stay strong, Lloyd!" Nya yelled as Morro soon charged at Blake and goes through him, shocking her. "Blake!"

Blake groans before his appearance changes to what he was previously as Nya runs over to him. "No!" Blake yelled before he held his hand out and fired a gust of Wind, knocking Nya back. Morro's voice was soon heard as he laughs before holding his hand out to levitate the shop in the air as he soon rises from the ground and onto the shop.

"I'm stronger, Lloyd!" Morro yelled as he landed onto the roof of the building. "I always have been. And I've been inside your head. I know what you're afraid of. You could never do it alone, could you? You're weak! You need others, but I, I need no one!"

* * *

By the boat, Cirrus, Misako, Dragon and Tania look on, in shock. "The Preeminent is about to arrive." Tania said.

"Lloyd's running out of time." Dragon replied.

* * *

Back at the shop, Lloyd sees the building rise up along with some floorboards. "What are you waiting for, Lloyd?" Morro asked. "An invitation? If you want the Realm Crystal, earn it!" He soon starts groaning. "No, I am not letting you go!"

"You're a ghost, Morro." Blake's voice was heard from Morro's mouth as Lloyd jumps onto some floorboards. "I can look after the Wind powers for you."

"Blake is right." Lloyd said. "And I learned a thing or two with you inside my head." He soon does Airjitzu for the first time, but Morro uses his wind power, causing Lloyd to fall back. "Whoa!" He quickly grabs hold of the end of a floorboard as Nya looked on.

"Lloyd!" She yelled as the floorboard rises up and he jumps off to land on another.

"Watch your step." Morro mocked. "The fall can be a doozy!" Lloyd looks into the window to see the portal and starts jumping along some floorboards before jumping up as Morro fired a gust of wind, but misses him as Lloyd lands on another floorboard before quickly jumping off as Morro fires another gust of wind and misses again before landing on another. Morro starts to groan again. "Blake, you will not fight against me this time!"

"I will always fight against you, Morro!" Blake's voice was heard from Morro's mouth before Morro soon looks at the sword to see him land on a nearby floorboard.

"Watch your step." Lloyd prepared to do so, but Morro uses his wind power to blow it back, causing him to fall, but he grabs hold of another floorboard and gets up as he sees Morro starting to groan again.

"Get out of my head!" Blake's voice was heard through Morro's mouth.

"No, I will use your body as long as you have my power!" Morro soon looked down at Lloyd as he was getting up. "What's wrong, too hard for you?" Lloyd soon does Airjitzu, flying up to the door of the shop as Morro soon came over him. "This is the end of the line, Lloyd. I'll miss you!"

R.E.X. soon appears as Morro soon looked up. "Better late than never!" Ronin yelled. "I saved up a lot for this moment!" He soon presses a button, which releases a lot of gold coins, causing Morro to scream before Blake suddenly comes out of him, swipes the Sword of Sanctuary and ducks down as Morro's ghost gets hit by the coins while Lloyd quickly got into the shop and it starts to lower down from the weight of the coins.

* * *

Close by, Nya, Kai, Gewuji and Maggie see the shop going lower as the coins were still raining down. "It's raining golden coins!" Gewuji yelled before the shop lands on the ground, knocking them back as Blake rolls over to them while holding the sword and having two cuts on his left cheek from when a couple of coins hit him.

"Blake, are you ok?!" Nya asked as they got up and she sees the cuts on his cheek.

"I'm good." Blake replied as they slowly bled. "Couple of coins grazed me." He soon held his hand out and some wind catches some coins. "And I still have Morro's power."

R.E.X. starts searching around the wreckage of Ronin's shop. "Where's Morro?!" Ronin asked. "He's gone!"

* * *

In the shop, Lloyd grabs the Realm Crystal before looking up and the portal and conjures an energy ball in an attempt to destroy the crystal. "Stop!" Morro yelled as he came up behind Lloyd, who turns to him. Morro's appearance was worse, his hair was fringed out and there were cuts and bruises from the coins landing on him, despite being a ghost. "Please. Don't."

"This isn't your world anymore, Morro." Lloyd replied as he backed away. "You had your chance. The Realm Crystal must be destroyed. The First Spinjitzu Master never wanted us to have it."

"But if you destroy it, you destroy any chance of ever saving your father."

"There he is!" Kai said as he looked through a window.

"Lloyd, get out of there!" Nya yelled.

"Don't listen to him!" Blake yelled. "He's lying!"

"No." Morro said. "It is true, I've seen him. He waits for you-"

"The windows are blocked!" Kai yelled.

"-locked up in the Cursed Realm. Destroy the crystal and the gateway-"

"Use your Spinjitzu!"

"-will forever be wiped out. You'll never chance to see-"

"Morro, shut your ****ing mouth!" Blake yelled.

"-your beloved daddy again."

"Lloyd, get out!" Zane yelled through the window.

"Lloyd, he's trying to trick you!" Geoff yelled through the window.

"You...you've seen him?" Lloyd asked Morro.

"Lloyd!" Maggie yelled through the window.

"No. He'd do everything to save Ninjago, and you would do everything to destroy it. The Realm Crystal must be destroyed!"

"Destroy the crystal!" Blake yelled through the window. "Destroy the damn crystal!"

"Lloyd, do it!" Gewuji yelled.

But before he could conjure an energy ball, a tentacle appears out of the portal and grabs it. "What is that?" Nya asked. "It's taking him! No!"

Another tentacle wraps around Lloyd's right leg. "No!" Kai and Blake yell.

"The gateway is complete." Morro said.

"No!" Zane and Geoff yelled.

Morro soon kneels down. "My master has arrived."

More tentacles wrap around Lloyd and starts pulling him into the portal. "No!" Gewuji and Maggie yelled.

"Lloyd!" Zane and Geoff yelled.

"No!" Lloyd yelled as he was dragged in. "It must be destroyed! No!" Another tentacle takes the crystal as more wrap around Lloyd.

"What now?!" Geoff asked as Morro laughed evilly as the tentacles have wrapped around the lower part of Lloyd's body.

"You have it wrong." He said. "Ninjago must be destroyed! Say hello to your father for me." Lloyd is soon pulled into the portal.

* * *

Outside, Kai, Zane, Nya, Geoff, Gewuji, Maggie and Blake look on, in shock. "No!" Gewuji yelled as Nya screamed. "It can't be! Lloyd." Gewuji then looked down.

The tentacles start moving out of the windows and they back away as screaming was heard nearby. "We have to evacuate the people!" Geoff yelled as he looked in the direction where the screams were heard.

"But, what about Lloyd?" Nya asked.

"There's nothing we can do, Nya." Blake replied. "He's gone. Wherever realm he is in, he's on his own." Blake soon ran for the S/N Tank as Maggie followed him. "Gewuji, come on!"

Gewuji just stood where she was before Kai came up to her. "You like him, don't you?" He asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I do." She replied. "I wanted to ask him after the war, but I got nervous. He's the Green Ninja, a hero. I'm just the Crystal Ninja, an ex-kabuki."

"Gewuji, we're all heroes. Lloyd would want you to know that. Now come on, we gotta get the people to safety."

"Okay."

"Zane, let's help evacuate the west side!" Geoff yelled as he got into his mech and Gewuji came up to Maggie and Blake.

"On it!" Zane replied as he got in and the vehicles take off.

"Nya, come on!" Kai yelled as Nya looked at the shop before running off with Kai.


	13. The Preeminent

Ghosts were still surrounding Stiix as the Ninja were helping evacuate the citizens before they stop to look at the tentacles, which had expanded as the citizens were running for safety before one of them slams a walkway, causing a man to fall until Cirrus soon grabs his hand and helps him up. "This way!" She yelled. "To the ship, quickly!"

"Lloyd couldn't destroy the Realm Crystal in time." Dragon said to Misako and Tania as they lead the citizens onto the boat. "The Preeminent has arrived."

"But where's my son?" Misako asked as she looks at the spot where the tentacles are as roaring is heard.

"We need to evacuate everyone out of this town." Ronin said as he was guiding Sylvester onto the ship. "Like NOW!"

* * *

In the centre, where the shop used to be, Kai and Nya, who is back in her grey gi, look on as the owner of the tentacles, a big green eyeball looking thing emerges with ghosts pouring out of its centre as the others join them. "Whoa!" Cole said as Zane and Geoff land their mechs next to him.

"What is that thing?" Kai asked.

"She's the Preeminent, the physical manifestation of the entire Cursed Realm." Zane replied.

"I know one thing, she ain't pretty." Geoff said.

"Ew!" Gewuji yelled.

"Gross!" Jay yelled. "I'm about to lose my lunch."

"If we can't stop that... we might lose Ninjago." Nya said as she holds her hand out, firing water at a tentacle, but it barely phases the Preeminent as she growls and goes for them. Nya conjures a water shield as Kai jumps onto a tentacle.

"Fire!" He yelled, firing a burst of fire at the tentacle.

"Lightning!" Jay yelled, firing a burst of lightning at a tentacle as he reverses.

"Sand!" Geoff yelled, firing a blast of sand at a tentacle as another came for him, but Zane stops it.

"Ice!" He yelled, firing a blast of ice at another tentacle, freezing it.

"Glass!" Gewuji yelled, firing a blast of glass at a tentacle, encasing it in glass.

"Wind!" Blake yelled, firing a burst of wind at the tentacle, knocking it away.

"Earth!" Cole yelled, conjuring some earth and throws it at the Preeminent.

"Magnetism!" Maggie yelled, conjuring some sonic boom waves at a tentacle, making it move back.

All the attacks barely phase her as she brings more ghosts out of her. "She didn't even notice that." Blake said.

"Oh, I hate unbeatable creatures!" Jay yelled as he drove away from the tentacle pursuing him.

* * *

By the ship, Cirrus, Dragon, Misako, Tania and Ronin were still guiding the citizens onto the ship. "Hurry on board!" Ronin yelled.

"This way!" Dragon yelled.

"Watch your step!" Tania yelled.

"Look, it's Lloyd!" Misako yelled, pointing up in the sky, only to see Morro, holding the Realm Crystal while on one of the Preeminent's tentacles.

"That's not Lloyd." Ronin replied.

"It's Morro." Tania said as Morro laughs evilly.

"You were wrong about me, Master." He said. "You said destiny didn't want me to be the Green Ninja. Well, I make my own destiny, and now yours is coming to an end!"

"You've released this scourge, and it won't stop until it's cursed all 18 realms." Dragon replied as he and the others poise. "I trained you to be a Ninja who protects, not one who destroys."

"You made me and Tania believe that one of us to become the Green Ninja! You were tricked into being wrong, you bitch! But as for me, I AM NOW THE GREEN NINJA!"

Two of the Preeminent's tentacles soon wrap around Misako and Tania. "Dragon!" Misako yelled.

"Master!" Tania yelled as they were soon dragged off.

"Misako!" Dragon yelled. "Tania!"

"The more souls the Preeminent takes, the bigger she gets." Morro said as Dragon jumps onto a nearby rooftop to run after them. "Say goodbye to your loved ones, and say goodbye to Ninjago!"

"Warm up that paddle!" Ronin yelled to the captain as more citizens get on the boat. "We're leaving when they get back."

* * *

Close by, Zane and Geoff see some citizens being pulled up before Zane fires his mech's ice cannon while Geoff fired his mech's guns. The citizens caught soon fell as they soon caught them. "Thank you!" A woman said as she took off.

"Get to the ship!" Nya yelled to them before spraying water at a tentacle, severing it. "Hurry!"

* * *

Nearby, Blake drives the S/N Tank as Gewuji was at the water cannon with Maggie in the passenger seat before Gewuji fires the cannon that Nya quickly refilled, hitting some of the tentacles that have people on it and they land on the roof of the S/N Tank. "That was for Lloyd!" She said.

"Climb in, quick!" Blake said to the citizens as he opened a hatch into the tank and they do so.

One of the citizens hit by the tank lands on Cole's bike. "I don't know how to stop this thing." Zane said. "It just keeps coming."

Kai soon threw his Aeroblade, that Ronin gave back to him when he first arrived, at one of the tentacles, severing it before two tentacle come out. "You stop one, two more grow in its place." He replied.

Jay soon jumped out as the two tentacles wrap around his Ghost Rider and throws it away. "If there ever was a time to make a bigger wave, Nya, it's now!" Geoff yelled as he places a young man down and he runs for the ship before the tentacles grab hold of the mech. "Uh-oh!" He soon jumps out as the Preeminent throws the mech away and it lands in the ocean as Geoff lands next to Nya.

"Let me just flip the switch." Nya replied. "Oh, yeah, I'm not a Nindroid! I DON'T HAVE A SWITCH!"

"If ghosts can't withstand Deepstone, perhaps the same goes for the Preeminent." Zane said. "But we'll need a larger dose."

"My bike's made of Deepstone." Cole replied. "How about I jam it down her gullet? Cover me!" Cole soon turns around and takes off as the Ninja fire their powers while Gewuji fired the S/N Tank's water cannon at the Preeminent.

* * *

Close by, Misako and Tania yell as they were close to the Preeminent before Dragon slide along a tentacle before coming up to another as he held his hand out to Misako, who takes it, but the tentacle pulls back. "Dragon!" She yelled.

* * *

On the rooftops, Cole stops his bike in front of the Preeminent. "You like cake?" He asked. "How's this for your pie hole?" He soon revs the engine before driving off a ramp, crashing into some ghosts that disappear as he moves along the rooftops before sliding to avoid a tentacle and puts the bike at full blast. "Ninjago!" He jumps off the bike as it soon entered the Preeminent, causing her to roar as she soon lets go of Misako.

"Whoa!" She yelled as she fell.

"Misako!" Tania yelled as she was still held by a tentacle.

Dragon comes up to a rooftop, jumps off and does Spinjitzu to catch Misako before landing on a rooftop. "Got you!" He yelled.

"What about Tania?"

* * *

Back where the Ninja were, they looked on as more ghosts came out of the Preeminent. "Thanks, Cole!" Jay said. "You only made her madder!"

"And there goes a perfectly good bike." Cole replied. The tentacles soon come close as the Ninja on the ground start using their Aeroblades to defend themselves.

"If Lloyd's inside that thing, we have to get closer!" Kai said.

"Yeah, easier said than done!" Jay replied.

"Speaking of closer." Geoff said as he sees Tania almost close to the Preeminent's mouth.

"MOM!" He and Gewuji yell.

"I'll get her!" Blake yelled as he came out through the hatch, does Airjitzu for a bit before he uses his wind power to land on the tentacle holding Tania, pulls out the Sword of Sanctuary and moves it along the tentacle, slicing it off as Tania soon fell before Blake does Airjitzu to catch her. "Are you okay, Mrs Sanders?"

"Fine." Tania said. "And it's Ms Sanders. My kids share my maiden name."

"Sorry." They soon land as Geoff goes to hug his mother.

"Mom." He said. "I thought I'd lose you again."

"You did once, but I'll never lose sight of you." Tania replied.

"Okay, you need to get the people in the S/N Tank to the ship."

"On it." Tania soon gets in as Gewuji and Maggie get out and Tania looks at her kids while having her hands on the handles. "I love you kids."

"We know." Geoff and Gewuji said before the tank soon takes off and they look at the Preeminent while Blake held the sword close.

"Lloyd, I hope you're okay." Gewuji said to herself.


	14. Father and Son Temporarily Reunite

Inside the ribcage's hallway, Lloyd wakes up, moaning as he gets up and gasped. He finds himself in an open cage before he leaves and looks around as sounds of wailing and murmuring were heard. Lloyd soon saw it was ghosts on his left side, coming out of something before he turns right and runs down the path, passing by cages, one of which has Chen inside it. "Who the hell was that?" He asked. "Was that Lloyd?"

"You're seeing things again, Master Chen." Heianmofa, who is in the cage next to his, replied as he was using a file on the bars before groaning. "Come on, that bitch was let out, so why can't I?!"

Lloyd soon comes to the end of the path before he sees someone at the end, chained up and gasped as he recognised who it is. "Dad!" He yelled.

Oni looks up and sees his son. "Lloyd?" He asked. He was back in his human form. Lloyd soon ran over to him and hugged him before looking at the chains holding him. "My son." Before he lowered his head, presumably exhausted.

"I'll get you out of here, Dad." Lloyd tries to hit one of the pillars that are holding the chains.

"There's no use. These chains will not break."

"Where are we?"

"The Cursed Realm is the Preeminent, and the Preeminent is the Cursed Realm. Son, you're in the belly of the beast. But if you're in here-"

"Morro is the Green Ninja. And he's stolen the Realm Crystal. I tried, Father."

"You must not give up. If he has the crystal, all is endangered."

"But how? I'm not the Green Ninja anymore."

"It was never the colour of the gi that made you who you are. It was the colour of your heart. Don't give up."

"I won't, Father."

"You must leave here and destroy the Preeminent. Save Ninjago. Save the realms."

"But if I destroy it, it could destroy you."

"Whatever happens to me, wherever I am, I will always be with you. There comes a time when every boy must become a man. What sort of man is up to him. And what Geoff told me as he fought his father, you will have to stand on your own without me."

* * *

In Ninjago, the Ninja are using their powers and Aeroblades to defend the citizens from the Preeminent. "I thought you were gonna get closer." Nya said to Kai.

Kai throws his Aeroblade at a tentacle. "You don't think I'm trying?!" He asked as he caught it.

"It's too late." Dragon said as he and Misako came up to them. "We have to get to the ship and protect the people."

Blake soon looked at the blade and turned to Dragon. "WATCH OUT!" He yelled, getting out his Aeroblade and threw it at a tentacle behind him and it moves away as he chuckled and looked at it while catching his returning Aeroblade. "I like this thing."

"But what about Lloyd?" Gewuji asked.

"This is what Lloyd would've wanted." Misako replied.

"To the ship, but we're not leaving anyone else behind!" Kai yelled.

A tentacle soon wrapped around Zane's mech, knocking it over. "Whoa!" He yelled as he fell out.

Blake comes up to a woman and her child. "Follow me." He said, leading them away along with the others as the tentacles tried to grab them.

* * *

At the ship, the Ninja, Dragon, Misako and the people they came across along the way, head to the ship as some tentacles come by, but Blake gets out the sword and, alongside his Aeroblade, starts striking them. "Go on!" He keeps striking them as they get on the ship.

"That's all of them." Tania said as the S/N Tank was also on the ship. "We need to get this ship to sea to put as much water between us as possible."

"No problem." Blake soon struck a rope with the sword as the ship soon take off before he sees Morro land in front of him. "Maybe one problem."

Morro laughs evilly as he held the Realm Crystal. "It's Morro!" Cole yelled.

"Look out, Blake!" Cirrus yelled.

"I'll get him." Gewuji replied, conjuring an ice spike.

"Count me in." Kai said, conjuring fire in his hands.

Morro soon charged at Blake, grabs hold of him and forces him to use his wind power on them, knocking them back. "Go, get outta here!" Blake yelled as he kicks Morro back and struck a tentacle. "I got this." He soon looked at the blade as Morro's next move would be to possess him for the third time. But as Morro was about to, Blake falls back as Morro appears over him and Blake smiles. "Boo." He soon held his hands out, blowing Morro back and he lands on his side as Blake gets back up.

"I will get my powers back, even if it takes all of my strength!" Morro yelled as he floats into the air and comes down, slamming his foot into the floorboards, but Blake somersaults to avoid it.

* * *

On the ship, the citizens see Blake jumping over Morro and he was about to slam him again, but breaks the floorboards before Nya came up to the captain as he was drinking some rum. "Is this as fast as it goes?" She asked.

"It's a paddle steamer, not a rocket ship." The captain replied.

* * *

Back at the dock, Morro dodges Blake's strike before kicking him, knocking him back as he came up to him. Blake stabs the sword into the ground as he got back up and got out his Aeroblade, but Morro quickly kicked it out of his hand and kicked him, knocking him down. As he was about to come at him again, someone lands between them. "What?" Morro asked. "You again?"

It was Lloyd, wearing his father's kimono. "Yeah, I'm back." He replied as he held a katana. "I believe you have something of mine."

Morro looks at the Realm Crystal before charging at him, but Lloyd dodges him as Blake got up and swung the sword at Morro, but he kicks him, knocking the sword aside and prepared to go for it. "Lloyd, don't let him get the sword!" Blake yelled.

"Take this!" Lloyd conjures an energy ball and throws it at him, knocking him at a window and he breaks through it.

* * *

Everyone on the boat cheers as Lloyd waves to them while picking up the sword. "Yeah!" They yelled. "Alright, Lloyd!"

"Lloyd." Gewuji said, shedding a tear.

"That robe!" Geoff yelled.

"He's wearing his father's robe." Dragon replied.

* * *

"Blake, get to the ship and tell Ronin to protect the people and help the other Ninja take out the stilts." Lloyd said and Blake nods. "We need to drop the Preeminent into the sea." Blake soon takes off for the ship while picking up his Aeroblade.

* * *

Blake flies up to the ship using his Wind power before landing next to the others. "Lloyd says that we need to take out the stilts." He said. "Let's sink that big bitch."

Jay groaned as he and the others prepare themselves. "Why didn't we think of that earlier?" He asked.

"That's why he's the leader." Gewuji replied, referring to her love interest.

"Ronin, protect the people, we'll take care of the Preeminent." Blake said to Ronin.

"I got it, Blake." Ronin replied as Cirrus soon came up to him.

"Blake, be safe." She said.

"I will, Cirrus." Blake replied as they soon look at each other and move closer to kiss each other.

"Blake, it's now or never!" Jay yelled, stopping them before they could kiss, as Blake turned to him before turning back to Cirrus.

"I'll be back." He soon comes up to the other Ninja.

"Ninjago!" Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole, Geoff and Blake yelled as they did Airjitzu to get back onto the dock.

* * *

"Let me handle the powerless blowhard." Lloyd said as he poised with both weapons.

"You would attack an unarmed man?" Morro asked.

"That wouldn't be honourable." Lloyd soon threw the katana to Morro, who catches it.

"You think you're better than me? No one is better than me!" He charges at Lloyd while raising his sword, which Lloyd quickly blocked before spinning to block another strike as he backed away before firing a ball of energy, which Morro dodges by tilting back and Lloyd prepares to strike, but Morro blocks the sword.

"Impressive. My uncle taught you well."

"There's more where that came from!" Morro soon forces Lloyd back and prepared to strike, but Lloyd blocks it before going for a counter striking, which Morro blocks before he forces the sword back and kicks Lloyd in the face, making him backflip.


	15. Realm After Realm After Realm

**(A/N: The chapter title is actually very long on my deviantART page, had to cut it short.)**

* * *

In the centre of town, the male Ninja look at the Preeminent before Airjitzuing down near some houses and go underneath the floorboards. "Let's give this slime ball a bath!" Kai said as they got out their Aeroblades. They soon throw it at the supports, breaking them as they come back before they throw them again at more supports.

* * *

By the dock, Lloyd blocks a strike from Morro before vaulting over him and prepared to strike, but Morro quickly blocked it before a tentacle from the Preeminent comes as Lloyd soon fired an energy ball at Morro, knocking him back before he swings the sword at the tentacle, slicing it in half as Morro soon came to strike, but Lloyd blocks it as Morro soon stepped onto the sword and jumps over Lloyd as he fires an energy blast, but Morro dodges it and kicks Lloyd back as the floorboards start to shake and he is shocked. "No!" He yelled. "They're taking out the supports!"

* * *

Further ahead, the Preeminent moves some tentacles down to try and get the Ninja, but when they hit the water, she moves them back up as the Ninja move away and land on the floorboards to look at the Preeminent briefly. "Ninjago!" They all yell before doing Airjitzu.

* * *

"No!" Morro soon clashed blades with Lloyd while looking at the Preeminent. He soon kicks Lloyd back before aiming the Realm Crystal up, creating a portal and goes through it, reappearing behind Lloyd and raises his sword. But Lloyd looks at the blade of the Sword of Sanctuary and quickly turned, blocking the strike. Morro soon used the Realm Crystal again and goes through the portal while kicking Lloyd back. As Lloyd gets back up, Morro reappears behind him and kicks him forward before he laughs. "Protect the Preeminent! Protect the realm!"

* * *

"Protect the Preeminent!" Soul Archer yelled as he was near the Preeminent.

* * *

Morro turns back to where Lloyd was, only to find he is not there anymore before quickly turning around and blocks a strike from him. As soon as he forced him back, Morro soon swung his sword at Lloyd, striking the left side of his jaw. The cut going down to his neck, underneath his left ear. Lloyd backs away and feels the blood run down his neck as he placed his hand on it and looked at the blood once he moved his hand in front of his face. "You'll pay for staining my father's robe." He said as he soon held the blood soaked hand to fire an energy ball at Morro, who is knocked forward before activating the Realm Crystal and goes through it as Lloyd soon followed him through the portal.

* * *

Their destination was the Underworld, where the ferris wheel, made from the very first Tornado of Creation was still there as they fall out of the portal and land near the stairwell before Morro kicks Lloyd off of him and jumps back up. As he was laying down, Lloyd saw spiders coming down to him before he quickly gets up and strikes a nearby spider as Morro charges behind him to strike, but Lloyd blocks it and at the same time, he fires an energy blast at the spiders, knocking them back. "You're improving." Morro said before he is forced back and they immediately grab each other's wrists as more spider start to come down around them.

* * *

In Ninjago, in Stiix, the ghosts move around the town, lifting houses and buildings to place on the Preeminent for protection. And before long, as the Preeminent was still releasing ghosts from her realm, she now had armour, completely made of almost all the houses in Stiix. "Just when you thought you've seen it all." Jay said as the Ninja look on and the Preeminent roared.

"Look at the size of that thing!" Geoff said.

* * *

The ship was just several miles away from Stiix as all the citizens, Nya, Dragon, Cirrus, Misako, Tania and Ronin see the Preeminent, with her new armour and was starting to head for the ocean as she growled. As she moved along Stiix to the ocean, her footsteps break some houses apart. "Let's hope she can't swim." Cirrus said.

"We need more speed!" Ronin replied as Cirrus immediately takes off.

"I've got to help the Ninja!" Nya said, putting her hood on and start jumping along some columns to get to the dock.

"Me too." Gewuji said, putting her hood on and uses Airjitzu to get to the dock.

"Me three!" Maggie yelled, putting her hood on and uses Airjitzu to get to the dock.

As the captain drank his rum, Cirrus pushes him aside. "Let me." She said before she raises a gauge and lowers it for more speed. The propellor at the back starts paddling more as the boat was slowly going faster.

* * *

The Preeminent kept roaring as she walked along the city, stomping houses.

* * *

On the rooftops, the Ninja run along to catch up with the Preeminent. "We have to destroy that thing before she reaches the ship." Kai said as they move along.

The Preeminent manages to make it to the jetty. "Lift!" The ghost yelled as the ghosts were helping move the Preeminent through her building armour.

"Throw!" Ghoulter yelled as the ghosts help the Preeminent grab a nearby boathouse and throws it at the ship.

* * *

The house lands close to the ship, making the back of it rise from the splash as Sylvester soon grabbed hold of Misako. "It's ok." She said, comforting him. "The Ninja will stop it."

* * *

Back in the town, the Ninja move along the rooftops before Airjitzuing to another building before Zane soon had P.I.X.A.L. analyse the Preeminent. "P.I.X.A.L. has detected over 500 ghosts aboard this walking fortress, and the number is climbing." He said as they land on another rooftop.

"If we have to destroy this thing one ghost at a time, so be it." Cole replied.

The Preeminent soon prepared to strike them, but they managed to duck down to avoid it before they jump onto the hand. "Then I want a front row ticket!" Kai said as he held on.

"I'm more of a back row kinda guy." Geoff replied as he started moving along. "More action from the back."

"Ninjago!" They both soon jump down to what appears to be the left knee as the others Airjitzued over to them and hold tight as the Preeminent made the step.

A ghost comes down to them, but a burst of water came at it, causing the ghost to disappear and they see Nya, Gewuji and Maggie. "Hey, guys." Gewuji said.

"Need a hand?" Nya asked as she soon moved about, hitting ghosts with her water ability while the others climb up.

"Thanks, Nya." Blake replied as the Preeminent prepared to make another step.

As the step made the building they were climb on an angle, Zane stands up, only to have a chain wrap around him as the ghost laughs. "Got you!" He said as the Preeminent makes the step.

As the ghost was about to turn Zane into a ghost by having a light move down the chain, Jay holds his hand out. "Lightning!" He yelled, firing a bolt of lightning at the chain, breaking it and freeing Zane as the lightning moves up the chain and shocks the ghost.

The ghost soon falls past them and into the ocean, causing it to disappear. "See you next fall." Gewuji sarcastically said as they climb up the leg and the Preeminent did another step.

They soon come up to a building where the knee is and Nya knocks on the door. "Knock, knock." She said.

"Who's there?" Geoff asked.

"Ninja."

"Ninja-who?"

"Ninjago, Geoff! Let us in."

"I'm just kidding." Geoff soon opened the door and they all head in. "Let's rock this house!"

* * *

In the house where the Preeminent's knee is, Jay turned to Zane. "Doctor, it appears our patient needs to have his knee put on ice." He said.

"I'm happy to help." Zane replied, holding his hands out and uses his ice power to freeze the house up.

* * *

Outside, the Preeminent roared as he armoured knee was frozen before moving it about. In the house, the Ninja move about as the shaking occurred and end up on one wall together.

* * *

Outside, the ice breaks off the knee before it soon steps into the ocean, causing green steam to come out and the Preeminent roars in pain.

* * *

On the ship, everyone looked on as the Preeminent remained mobile. "Yes!" Dragon said. "She's unable to follow us to sea!" Everyone soon gasped as the Preeminent soon moved her foot back into the ocean before moving her other foot into it and starts walking up to the boat.

"I thought ghosts can't stand water." Misako said as the Preeminent moves along. "How comes she's still after us?"

"Have enough ghosts at your disposal, I guess you can pretty much do anything." Tania replied. The citizens yell in fear as the Preeminent comes closer.

"Throw anything we don't need off the ship!" Dragon told them as the citizens soon start throwing crates and barrels overboard. "We need to go faster. Much faster."

The ship starts to speed up, but the Preeminent keeps coming. "It's not enough!" Cirrus yelled before Ronin sees the S/N Tank, which appeared to be the heaviest.

"We have to get rid of the tank!" He said.

"What? But that's Blake's tank!"

"He'll understand."

Cirrus has a few seconds to think before turning to the citizens. "What are you waiting for? Help him dump the tank!" Everyone uses all their might to lift the S/N Tank before they throw it overboard as well as before the ship soon takes off faster.

* * *

Back in the Underworld, Lloyd, with his blood down to the top part of the robe, holds a spider back as Morro was atop the ferris wheel. "You and I could go on fighting forever." He said as Lloyd turned to him. "Or I could just take the Realm Crystal and leave you behind forever!" He soon opens up a portal.

"You're not getting away!" Lloyd yelled as he forced the spiders back and used Airjitzu to chase after him as he went through the portal before heading in himself.

* * *

Their next destination was a dark world where they land on a mountain and Morro ends up losing the Realm Crystal as the base of the mountain before they manage to stop and look at each other. "Damn you, Garmadon!" They soon run up the mountain as Morro swung his sword at Lloyd, who blocks it before swinging his at Morro, but it was also blocked before Lloyd manages to grab the Realm Crystal, held it out in front of him and a portal appears. He soon goes through it as Morro does so as well.

* * *

Their next destination was in the skies above the Cloud Kingdom as they free fall, while clashing blades. Lloyd turned his sword to block Morro's before moving it to another side to block his next strike and kicks him back. On the ground, Nobu sees the two fighting before another Cloudian comes up next to him. "No, we must not dabble in their affairs anymore." He said. "This is for them to resolve." They watch as Lloyd and Morro still clashed blade before another portal opens and they go through it.

* * *

Their next destination was a realm unfamiliar to anyone as several creatures were meditating until Lloyd and Morro's landing behind them disturbs them. "Huh?" The one that looked like a crocodile asked as Lloyd and Morro got up and Morro swung his blade, but Lloyd quickly blocked it.

"Hey, where do you guys come from?" The one that looked like a lion asked them before Lloyd forces Morro back before using the Realm Crystal to activate another portal and goes through it as Morro goes through it as well, leaving the creatures confused.

* * *

Their next destination was a realm surrounded by nothing but ocean as Lloyd soon lands on a nearby island as Morro landed as well, luckily, not near the water while the Realm Crystal lands nearby. Some people, dressed in tribal clothing sees the two outsiders as they clash blades before Morro kicks Lloyd down, knocking him back into the water before he kicks some sand at his face. "Trespassers!" One of them yelled as Morro turned to them while picking up the Realm Crystal and activates another portal before going through it while flipping the bird at them as a wet Lloyd got up and jumped into the portal before it disappeared. "Where did they go?" The other tribesman shrugged.

* * *

**(A/N: The last realm is an original that will become part of an original fanfic in the future, I'm not certain of a few things unless anyone likes to give me suggestions)**


	16. Fall of the Preeminent

In Ninjago, just outside of Stiix, the Ninja emerge from the house where the Preeminent was covering her left knee with and climb up her as she heads for the ship.

* * *

On the ship, Dragon turns to Cirrus. "Can we go any faster?" He asked.

"It's on full power." She replied.

"Head for that fog bank for cover!" Misako said, pointing to some fog.

* * *

The Preeminent keeps moving along the ocean, still pursuing the ship as Bansha soon came at the Ninja, but Nya sprays some water at her, causing her to disappear. Soul Archer's arrow hits between her and Blake as look to see him aim another one near Kai and fired it. "Kai, watch out!" Nya yelled as Kai dodges the arrow and falls off the ledge.

"I got you!" Cole yelled as held his hands out, but unfortunately, Kai passes through him. "I guess not."

Kai manages to land on a lamp support which was close to the ocean. "I can't swim!" He yelled.

"I can't get wet!" The support soon broke and Kai falls in but surfaces as Soul Archer aims his bow and arrow at him before he takes a deep breath and dives under so Soul Archer can't fire.

"You'll have to come up for air sometime, Red Ninja." He said as he laughed as Zane looked down to see Kai surfacing, gasping for breath.

"Kai!" Zane yelled. "Shoot fire now!"

"Fire!" Kai yelled, firing a burst of fire.

"Ice!" Zane fired a burst of ice. Both attacks hit Soul Archer and the combination turns the ice into water, due to being melted by the fire and Soul Archer disappears.

"Yeah!" Jay yelled.

"Fire and ice makes water." Geoff replied, stating the obvious.

"Nice!" Maggie said as Kai comes up near them.

"And one more ghost is toast." Jay replied.

"As iron sharpens iron-" Zane is soon cut off as he slid down a roof support.

"Brother sharpens brother!" Kai said, completing the phrase.

They all soon look up to see the Preeminent summon Bansha, Soul Archer and more ghosts out of her realm as Bansha laughs. "Are you kidding me?" Gewuji asked.

"Even our coolest moves aren't helping anything!"

They see the citizens on the ship looking frightened as the Preeminent is close to it. "We obviously aren't doing any good here." Blake said.

"We need to protect the ship!" Nya said.

"Ladies first." Jay replied as Nya, Gewuji and Maggie soon take off.

Gewuji and Maggie use Airjitzu to get to the ship as Nya looked on. "Wish I could do that." She soon jumped off. "Ninjago!" She fires bursts of water from her hands, like a booster and lands next to Dragon, Cirrus, Misako. Tania and Ronin as Gewuji and Maggie came up to them.

The male Ninja use Airjitzu to try and get to the ship before they land as they enter the fog bank. And the Preeminent is heard growling. "If we're gonna destroy the Preeminent, we're gonna have to do more." Dragon said.

"Speaking of more, we need more fuel." Cirrus replied.

"If we turn back now, we'll have just enough to get us to shore." Ronin said. "Otherwise, if we reach Hollows Trench, we'll be sitting ducks out there."

"Hollows Trench?" Geoff asked. "Do you think it's deep enough to drown that giant thing?"

"One way to find out." Dragon replied. "Full steamer ahead!" Dragon moves the gauge forward, increasing the speed.

It wasn't enough as the Preeminent was now at the back of the ship as some citizens scream as she soon slammed the back of it, breaking the propellor off. "Oh, no!" Cole yelled as he looked on from where he was.

"We just lost the propellor!" Gewuji yelled.

"Damn it!" Cirrus yelled. "Now or never, Dragon."

* * *

The portal soon opened, revealing Morro, who is holding the Realm Crystal as he lands on top of the Preeminent. "I did it." He said. "I finally got rid of you!"

* * *

The Preeminent roars as the citizens start moving about the ship while Nya looked at her, one accidentally bumping her, as Blake was behind Nya.

* * *

Nya soon thought about things that held her back, remembering a time when she ate ice cream, it fell off the cone and she cried.

* * *

And remembering a time she tired to play basketball, but failed and the kids laugh at her, except for two, her brother Kai and friend Clive.

* * *

"I can do this." She quietly said as she held her hands up slowly.

The water behind the Preeminent starts to rise up as everyone on the ship sees it. But it wasn't enough. It could only reach the Preeminent by half before something makes the wave raise higher. Nya turned to see it was Blake, who smiles at her. "Thought you could use a hand." He said as he held his hands out.

* * *

The big tidal wave immediately came up behind the Preeminent and engulfs her in it. "No-o-o-o!" Morro yelled as the Preeminent starts to go down, some ghosts starting to fade away.

* * *

On the ship, Nya and Blake knelt down, in exhaustion as Jay places an assuring hand on Nya while Cirrus came up to Blake and wrapped her arms around him as they watch the Preeminent sink as Morro quickly jumped into the air and held his hand out. But with his powers gone, he keeps stepping on whatever tentacles didn't go under as the ghosts around him start falling into the ocean and fade away.

* * *

Everyone on the ship soon cheered as Dragon soon ran to the stern section, conjured his Power Dragon and flies off to Morro as the last tentacle wrapped around him and starts dragging him into the ocean. "Take my hand!" He said, holding it out as he starts to come near the water.

"Why?! So you can take the Realm Crystal and use it to find your own prized pupil?"

"You are all my prized pupils, but none of us can do this alone. You're strong, Morro, but it takes others to make us stronger, even me. Take my hand so we can be stronger together. Please, Morro. I read the letter they found on your body. About what happened that day, I forgive you."

Morro soon took Dragon's hand, but couldn't find himself to be freed of the tentacle. As he looked at the tentacle for a bit, he soon looked back at his former master. "Like the last passage in my letter: You can only save those who want to be saved. Goodbye, Master." With his might, he trades his hand with the one with the Realm Crystal, slipping it into Dragon's hand as Morro starts to go under. "And train Blake on how to use my power well." As soon as he was knee deep, he soon faded away.

"Morro!"

* * *

On the ship, the Ninja raise their hoods as Blake moved forward. "I'll look after your powers, Morro." He said. "I promise."

* * *

It was now sunrise as the citizens were moving some oars or whatever boards they could find to bring the ship back to Stiix as Blake was holding his hands out to help them, with his power before he joins the others as Dragon held the Realm Crystal. He was about to raise before Gewuji stopped him. "Let me." She said.

Wu looked at her for a bit before smiling. "I see." He said. "You love him, don't you?"

Gewuji nods. "I love him." Wu hands her the Realm Crystal and she soon it high before a portal appears. Lloyd soon emerges from it and lands on the deck.

"Alright!" They all yelled.

"Lloyd, you made it!" Misako said, hugging her son.

"And so did you." Lloyd replied before they notice the cut on his jaw. "I'll live."

"Good to have you back, kid." Geoff said, patting his arm.

"You just missed-" Zane was soon cut off.

"Oh, I know what I missed." Lloyd said as he showed the Sword of Sanctuary. "I caught a glimpse of what would happen next, and knew Morro had to return alone." He soon sheathed the sword. "Just 'cause I'm the Green Ninja doesn't mean I have to save the day. Especially when I have friends to rely on."

"And that's why destiny chose you." Cirrus replied.

"It appears your father's robe has imparted wisdom, but you still have a lot to learn to earn the Master title." Dragon said.

"If that's the path I'm on, I'll take it one step at a time." Lloyd replied. "The Cursed Realm is gone. And so is my father. But I know we're all in a better place."

"Some of us may look different, but like our team, some things never change." Cole said.

"And if they do, that's ok." Nya said as they soon place their hands on each other. "Sometimes we just need to go with the flow."

"'Cause even if the path isn't always straight, we go forward with confidence because we trust where we're headed." Geoff said.

"Yeah, and speaking of where we're headed, I've been dying to know." Jay replied. "What are the other realms like, Lloyd?"

Lloyd soon walks between them. "Come on, spill it." Gewuji said. "We have to know what we're saving, right?"

"Let's just say the future looks bright, for us and Ninjago." Lloyd replied as the ship managed to reach Stiix.

* * *

As the civilians were starting to get off, Lloyd turned to Gewuji and smiled. "The sword also showed me what you would do. That you would be the one to open the portal. Out of love."

Gewuji blushes a bit. "Uh, probably love. But, maybe I-" She was soon cut off when Lloyd came close to her and they lock lips, surprising everyone.

Geoff was about to go at them, but Kai and Zane stop him. "He's really growing up." Kai said.


	17. Fate of the Realm Crystal

A week after the Preeminent's defeat, in Ninjago City, at City Hall, Blake, Cyrus and a woman, with brown hair and green eyes, in a blue blazer, white shirt, blue skirt and black heels, was shaking Lloyd's hand. He was wearing a black suit, green shirt, black tie and black dress shoes and had a bandage covering the cut on his jaw. "You and the Ninja have done Ninjago City a great service, and we thank you all." She said before turning to the Borgs. "And I trust that the Realm Crystal is in safer hands than those ghosts, Mr. Borg and Mr. Borg?"

"Oh, the Realm Crystal is in safe hands, Miss Mayor, but if it fell in the wrong hands again, it will be very dangerous." Blake replied. He was wearing a grey suit, pink shirt, silver tie and black dress shoes.

"So, where is it?"

"Somewhere very safe." Cyrus said.

"From whom? The Realm Crystal obviously possesses greater power, other than opening portals to the 18 realms and it has to be researched."

"Miss Mayor, I assure you." Lloyd said. "Mr. Borg knows exactly what he is doing."

"Lloyd's right." Cyrus replied. "I have my top scientists working on it right now."

"Who?" The mayor asked.

"Classified, ma'am." Blake replied.

* * *

Several minutes later, outside City Hall, Cirrus, wearing a brown sheath dress, watches as Lloyd gives Blake a pat on his shoulder while he puts a grey bowler hat on before they part ways with Lloyd coming up to Gewuji, who was in a light blue kimono, and they walk away hand in hand while Cirrus comes up to Blake as he sighed. "Hey, what happened in there?" She asked. "You look a little stressed out."

"How does a woman like that even become mayor when she barely leaves office? She is such a fool."

"What did she say?"

Blake soon stopped to look at the building. "She obviously doesn't know how dangerous the Realm Crystal is... if she did have it in her own hands."

"Well, I know what I have in my hands." She places her hands in Blake's. "C'mon, let's go to Chen's. You know, for dinner. On me." Blake smiles at her as they turn around to walk away from the building while Cirrus had her arms wrapped around Blake's left arm as they briefly look at each other.

* * *

In a structure, a Nindroid moves a cart with the Realm Crystal and Sword of Sanctuary on it along a hallway before stopping to place the sword into a vault before closing it and putting a label on the vault. 'Classified Handling #19, Sword of Sanctuary'. The Nindroid soon takes the Realm Crystal, enters an elevator and faces forward as the elevator closes.

The End...?

* * *

**(A/N: Well, another one done. I might start becoming a little slow on putting up a new story because I'm doing another one in between on deviantART and still waiting for Sons of Garmadon and Hunted to come out on DVD in Australia)**


End file.
